Grafton Police Joins Effort to Crack Down on Texting While Driving

By Alison Bauter and Charlene Arsenault (Patch staff)

GRAFTON, MA — Grafton's police chief has announced that the town's police is joining the Massachusetts Public Highway Safety Division's statewide effort to combat crashes, fatalities and injuries from distracted driving through a series of special patrols meant to catch drivers texting behind the wheel.

"The Grafton Police Department partners with the 202 eligible local Massachusetts law enforcement agencies and the Massachusetts State Police in the national U Drive, U Text,U Pay mobilization to crack down on texting while driving" wrote Police Chief Normand Crepeau, Jr.

The campaign, which began on April 8, continues through April 29.

Police will use crash, injury and fatality data to deploy the highly visible patrols, according to a press release from the highway safety division. The show of force starts Friday, and runs through the end of April, which Gov. Charlie Baker has formally dubbed "Distracted Driving Awareness Month."

Massachusetts law prohibits adult drivers from writing, sending or reading text messages, interacting with apps or browsing the internet while driving or stopped at a light or in traffic. That goes double for teens. Drivers under 18 are prohibited entirely from using mobile phones and other electronic devices while driving. Fines can be as much as $500, and teen drivers could lose their license for up to one year.

Distracted driving fatalities in Massachusetts are highest among adults age 45-64 and 75 or older, according to the highway safety patrol. From 2014 – 2015, pedestrian fatalities increased 26 percent, the press release said. Nationally one out of ten drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes.

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