Police Crack Down on Driver Texting and Cell Phone Use

Once again, the Citrus Heights Police Department has teamed up with The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the California Highway Patrol, and 36 other law enforcement agencies across the greater Sacramento region in an effort to eliminate motorists’ hand-held cell phone use and texting.  

According to a CHPD press release, the effort is a special federally funded pilot program using the region to test tactics that may be employed nationally in the future. The effort began Nov. 30 and will last through Dec. 9. During this time the law enforcement will make a concerted effort to issue tickets to drivers using hand-held cell phones or texting.  

The report indicates police will be working with the cities of Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, and West Sacramento on saturations patrols in each city. 

Distracted drivers in Citrus Heights talking on a hand-held cell phone or texting will receive a first-time ticket costing a minimum of $159, with a second offense costing $279, according to the release.  

According to the report, the goal of the special enforcement operation is not to issue tickets, but to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. 

• Turn off your phone and/or put it out of reach. 
• Include in your outgoing message that you can’t answer while you are driving. 
• Don’t call or text anyone at a time when you think they may be driving.

For more information on distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov/sacramentoregion.

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