Montgomery Police Launch Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign

MONTGOMERY, IL — The Montgomery Police Department announced Wednesday that it's participating in the Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week. The department will conduct an enforcement campaign of Illinois’ distracted driving laws, police said. Deputy Chief Sanders said it's important to bring attention to the dangers associated with driving distracted.

“No distraction- whether texting or talking on the phone - is ever worth the loss of life on the roadway,” Sanders said. “These senseless deaths can easily be prevented if drivers simply choose to focus on the core task of driving when behind the wheel. We aim to do our part to help keep Montgomery’s roads safer.”

The second annual Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week is a coordinated effort between the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP), AAA, The Illinois State Police, The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois High School High School and College Driver Education Association (IHSCDEA) and nearly 300 local law enforcement throughout Illinois to educate motorists about the dangers of driving while distracted and enforcing the laws on Illinois’ roadways. Last year’s DDAW efforts resulted in over 18,000 warnings and citations for distracted driving offenses.

Contrary to what some drivers may think, hands-free, handheld and in-vehicle technologies are not distraction-free, even if a driver’s eyes are on the road and their hands are on the wheel. The latest AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research found that:

• Drivers who text when behind the wheel more than double their odds of being involved in a crash;
• Drivers who use in-vehicle technologies, like voice-based and touch screen features, can be distracted for more than 40 seconds when completing tasks like programming navigation or sending a text message.
• Removing eyes from the road for just two seconds doubles the risk for a crash

Violating Illinois’s distracted driving laws can be costly. Know before you go. In Illinois:

• Law prohibits all drivers from texting and driving {FINE}
• Law prohibits all drivers from using a hand-held phone while driving {FINE]
• Law prohibits all teen drivers from using a cell phone while driving [FINE]

For more information on Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week visit www.iddaw.org. These partnerships have been formed to help further a traffic safety culture in Illinois and to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries resulting from distracted driving. Please help the ILACP, AAA, and Montgomery, to keep Illinois’ roadways safe and Illinois strong.

Submitted by Village of Montgomery/Montgomery Police Department.

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