FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2017
MDTA POLICE STEPPING UP
DISTRACTED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT
National Campaign April 1 – April 30
#parkthephone
BALTIMORE, MD – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police are joining law-enforcement agencies nationwide in their efforts to step up enforcement and to heighten motorist awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.
“Is that phone call, a text message, or social media post worth your life or someone else’s?,” said MDTA Police Chief Colonel Jerry Jones. “Absolutely not.”
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. MDTA Police officers will focus on handheld cell phone use, including phone calls and texting while driving. The fines for using a handheld phone while a vehicle is in motion range from $83 for the first offense to $160 for the third offense. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,477 people were killed and an estimated 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.
During the entire month of April, MDTA officers will be conducting high visibility enforcement initiatives and educating the motorist on distracted driving. To end distracted driving starts with motorist parking the phone before your drive. Take the pledge and the commitment to end distracted driving by visiting Distraction.gov.
The MDTA Police supports the Maryland Highway Safety Office “Toward Zero Deaths” campaign -- a partnership to save lives and prevent injuries on Maryland’s roadway. For more information, visit towardzerodeathsmd.com.
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