More than 300 law enforcement agencies throughout Minnesota will be conducting extra distracted driving patrols beginning Monday, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety announced in a press release.
The extra enforcement period will run from April 9 through April 22 and will be conducted all throughout the state, from the Twin Cities to Duluth and everywhere in between. Law enforcement officials said the crackdown is necessary because they are seeing more people driving distracted. Statistics show that citations for texting and driving increased 23 percent from 2016 to 2017.
“Enough is enough,” Office of Traffic Safety director Mike Hanson said. “We are such a plugged-in, always-on society that focusing only on the road while driving takes effort. But trying to multitask behind the wheel takes even more effort. If you’re trying to do two things – like drive and text, or stream or post – you’re not focused on driving.”
Put The Phone Down
Despite the heads up, it seems likely that we are destined to break last year’s number of people cited for distracted driving. During the 2017 campaign, 1,017 citations were given out during the two-week stretch.
So if you are going to be driving during the next two weeks, make sure you put down the phone and any other distractions. Police aren’t going to be giving out warnings during the crackdown, so if they see you texting, you will get a citation. A first offense texting while driving citation can cost well over $100 when all the fees are accounted for, so make the smart decision to put the phone down when you’re behind the wheel. Despite the crackdown on texting and driving it is likely that it will still happen and people will get hurt. If you are a pedestrian and get injured by someone who is texting whilst driving in Los Angeles, it is important that you contact a pedestrian accident lawyer in Los Angeles as soon as possible. Don’t worry though, there will be a law firm in your area who can also offer you any help and advice you may need.
If you do end up in trouble during the crackdown, it may be in your best interest to challenge the case in court. Unless you admit to texting and driving, it’s not very easy for police to prove that you were texting behind the wheel. Don’t let the officer look at your phone, and don’t admit to being distracted if you plan on taking the case to court. We’ve helped numerous people challenge their distracted driving citations, and we can help fight yours as well. Click here to set up a free consultation to talk about your legal options for challenging your traffic citation.
