Motorists can expect to see increased patrols and traffic safety enforcement zones throughout April as Homewood police officers work overtime shifts in order to help alleviate distracted driving and urge motorists to “drop it and drive.”
In honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Homewood Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies to step up enforcement efforts across the state.
“Seconds is all it takes to alter the course or end a life. There is no text message, phone call or any type of task that is more important than a life,” said Homewood Police Chief Denise McGrath. “We all have a responsibility to help keep our roads safe.”
In Illinois, using a phone in anything other than hands-free mode is not only dangerous, it’s illegal. Looking down for only a split second could put you or someone else on the road at risk for an accident.
Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving. At any given moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010. Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on America’s roadways.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,522 lives lost in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2021. From 2008 to 2021 there have been over 32,000 lives lost from distracted drivers.
Distracted driving doesn’t just mean picking up a cell phone while driving. It could mean something as simple as changing the radio or swapping songs, eating or drinking, or looking for items in your vehicle.
Any time your attention is diverted from the road is a hazard.
The Illinois distracted driving campaign is funded with federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT.