Police across the entire state of California are cracking down on distracted driving throughout the month of April, and officers in the city of Santa Monica are no different. But whereas officers in other localities are honoring Distracted Driving Awareness Month by targeting drivers for a day or a couple weeks or even the entire month, Santa Monica Police plan to go after cellphone users throughout the spring.
From now until the end of June, the Santa Monica PD will focus its resources toward cracking down on those persons who insist on texting and talking on their cellphones without the assistance of a hands-free device.
But they’re not just concerned about enforcement. The agency has also released a series of tips that can be followed by all those drivers who have a hard time stopping themselves from picking up the phone while they’re at the wheel. The trick is to put the phone somewhere you can’t get to it. Turn it off and place it out of arm’s length. Leave a message at such times telling callers you’ll get back to them when you’re not driving.
Also take the time to eliminate the other distractions that might pop up. Stick with whatever radio station is on the dial; don’t channel surf. And if you find yourself directing your thoughts anywhere other than the road, regroup and bring your thinking back to the task at hand.