The latest campaign by the California Highway Patrol to ticket drivers for using their cell phone to text or talk while driving resulted in over 600 citations in San Diego County alone last week. The message of the campaign, says public information officer Mary Bailey is simply, “No phone call is worth a human life.” The campaign, running January 18-20, was enforced by the Highway Patrol, county Sheriffs, and La Mesa, Escondido, Chula Vista, and National City sheriffs. Altogether, 593 citations were made for talking while driving, the other 36 were for reading and sending text messages.
According to news reports, a November campaign resulted in 1,110 citations, however all enforcement agencies were involved with those efforts. The level of participation in enforcement may vary over time, but statistics show that texting and driving has doubled since it was put into effect last January. Surveys conducted by the Automobile Club of Southern California show 86% of teens admit to texting while driving. As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I hope these enforcement campaigns continue to prevent drivers from taking part in dangerous activity which could result in injury or even death. If you or a loved one are injured due to a reckless driver, consult with a personal injury attorney Los Angeles regarding your case.
