Last month, law enforcement officials in Manhattan Beach cited 377 motorists for inattentive driving habits, according to a statement issued by the Manhattan Beach Police Department. April was declared National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and an increased enforcement effort on the part of the Manhattan Beach Police Department resulted in 327 drivers being ticketed for using a handheld communication device behind the wheel, 47 drivers being ticketed for sending or reading text based messages while operating a motor vehicle, and three drivers being ticketed for violating the posted speed limits because of distracted driving habits. Motorists can be cited for inattentive driving for reasons not related to handheld communication devices as well, according to law enforcement officials. Under state traffic laws, distracted driving can be defined as operating a vehicle while the primary focus is devoted elsewhere, including inputting data into a global positioning satellite navigation system or reaching to retrieve an item from the back seat of floorboard area of a moving vehicle. According to accident statistics released by the Manhattan Police Department, drivers using cellphones behind the wheel are four times more likely to be injured in an automobile collision.
As a car accident attorney in Los Angeles, I am hopeful that law enforcement officials are achieving their goal of increasing the safety on the roads in their jurisdictions. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident related to distracted driving, please consider contacting a San Bernardino car accident attorney.