Marblehead Police To Crack Down On Distracted Drivers

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Marblehead drivers who are thinking about texting and driving in April should be aware that police will be on the lookout for them.

The department said it will use a state grant to increase patrols and enforcement of the state's distracted driving laws —including the issuing of citations.

"We would much rather play the role of educator to get people to think about their own actions, but because the problem persists, enforcement is also needed to change behavior." police said.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which aims to close the gap between our behavior and our self-perception by showing how we become "that guy" — the one who puts us all in danger — when we text and drive.

Massachusetts has had a Safe Driving Law effective as of September 2010. The law bans sending, typing or reading electronic messages to or from handheld devices while operating a motor vehicle. This includes the use of the internet and text messaging. The law also bans all handheld electronics by junior operators while behind the wheel.

Drivers are advised to put phones on silent mode when they get in the car or put the device away. Any calls should be made while pulled over in a safe area.

Drivers are also advised to set GPS destinations before driving and pull over if the GPS needs review.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)