April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and in an effort to prevent distracted driving and save lives, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will be actively enforcing the state’s hands-free cell phone law throughout the month.
Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle, even when stopped at a red light. This includes talking, texting, or using an app.
According to the 2024 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 74% of drivers surveyed said that distracted driving because of texting was their biggest safety concern. In 2022, there were 148 people killed in distracted driving traffic crashes in California. The numbers are likely underreported because law enforcement officers may not always be able to tell that distraction was a factor in a crash.
Using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a fine, and violating the hands-free law for a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point being added to a driver’s record.
Funding for distracted driving enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
