One text or call could wreck it all

SALT LAKE CITY —  The Salt Lake City Police Department will be adding extra distracted driving enforcement with the assistance of a grant from the Utah Highway Safety Office (UHSO). The goal will be to educate the public by conducting traffic stops and issuing warnings or citations when distracted driving is observed.

The majority of these contacts will be a result of people using handheld communication devices while operating a motor vehicle. It may also include attending to personal hygiene or grooming as well as searching for an item in a vehicle. Texting is the most alarming distraction because it involves three types of distraction at the same time; hands, eyes, and the mind. Studies have shown that taking your eyes off the road for more than two seconds doubles your risk of a crash

Our focus is to help reduce collisions and injuries resulting from distracted drivers. These collisions could be avoided completely if people are following the law and paying attention to driving instead of other things in the vehicle. In 2015, 27 people died in Utah as a result of distracted driving crashes. Officers may issue citations for careless driving if egregious violations are observed.

For additional information about UHSO and its grant programs, visit http://highwaysafety.utah.gov/

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