Yesterday morning found various California police and safety officials holding a press conference designed to bring attention to two separate distracted driving events which aim to cut down on the dangers faced on the roads by teens and other motorists.
The first event the press conference was designed to draw focus toward is California Teen Safe Driving Week, which began on Monday and is set to run until this Sunday. A captain with the California Highway Patrol explained that distractions and recklessness are the main reasons for teen crashes in the modern world.
The press conference also called upon citizens to recognize April’s distinction as National Distracted Driving Awareness week. California police entities will be cracking down on texting and cellphone usage at the wheel all throughout the month.
Not only was the CHP on hand for the event, but so was the state’s Office of Traffic Safety and members of Central Valley Police Departments. A sergeant with the Bakersfield PD explained that parents should set a good example for their teens by refraining from engaging in distracting behaviors at the wheel.
The Chief of the Kern High School District PD explained the two types of distraction: visual, in which a person removes their eyes from the road (to text, for example), and cognitive, when your eyes remain on the road but your brain goes elsewhere, which is what happens when you engage in a phone conversation.