CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Illinois State Police (ISP) will be conducting Distracted Driving Enforcement Program patrols in Champaign, Macon, and Vermilion counties throughout April. The initiative aims to reduce traffic deaths and injuries caused by distracted driving, which continues to be a significant safety issue on Illinois roadways.
Distracted driving, defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving, poses a serious risk to motorists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3,000 people die annually in crashes involving distracted drivers, with texting alone taking a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of five seconds—long enough to cover the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour.
Officers will be specifically looking for violations of Illinois’ distracted driving laws, which include prohibitions on reading, sending, or receiving text messages, using handheld electronic devices, and engaging in video streaming or internet browsing while driving. Drivers under the age of 18 are banned from using any cell phone, even hands-free, and all drivers are prohibited from using phones in school zones or work zones. It is also illegal to use a cellphone within 500 feet of an emergency scene.
The crackdown is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation.