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April 22, 2021
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Lewiston Police Department will be teaming up with the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety to keep our communities safe with engaged driving. This is part of a nationwide effort called Connect to Disconnect. Lewiston Police Department will be dedicating patrols to enforce Idaho’s new hands-free law. It’s illegal to use a handheld electronic device while driving – even while temporarily stopped at a red light or stop sign.
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MERIDIAN â April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The Idaho State Police are joining dozens of other Idaho law enforcement agencies in a statewide effort to remind Idahoans of the dangers of distracted driving.
Beginning today and continuing through April 30, extra ISP patrols will be on the road in an effort to educate motorists and enforce Idahoâs distracted driving laws, particularly Idahoâs law that prohibits driving while using a cell phone.Â
âAny activity that takes your attention away from the road is defined as distracted driving, and it only takes a moment or two for a distraction to cause a serious injury crash,â said Lt. Chris Weadick of the Idaho State Police. âWhatever the temptation, the distraction just isnât worth taking your eyes or your mind away from driving.â
ISP Cracks Down on Distracted Driving in The Month of April
There is a good reason for Idaho s new hands-free law which went into effect in January. According to the Idaho Transportation Department, between 2015 and 2019 there were more than 25,000 distracted driving crashes in Idaho in which 237 people were killed.
April is recognized as Distracted Driving Awareness Month which is why you may see police cracking down on this law more than ever before. In fact, Idaho patrol officers committed to a four-hour shift yesterday on April 8th specifically to enforce Idaho s new hands-free law targeting distracted drivers. This effort by The Idaho Transportation Department Office of Highway Safety is a part of a nationwide initiative called Connect to Disconnect.
BOISE â The Idaho Transportation Departmentâs Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is joining other state highway safety offices and law enforcement agencies across the country to keep our communities safe with engaged driving. This is part of a nationwide effort called Connect to Disconnect.
On Thursday, April 8 officers across the country committed to a four-hour shift to targeting distracted driving. Later this month, at least 55 law enforcement agencies throughout Idaho will work with OHS to dedicate patrols to enforcing Idahoâs new hands-free law.
âApril is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and we urge Idahoans to join us by agreeing to disconnect from your phone, put it away while you are behind the wheel, and drive engaged,â said OHS Manager John Tomlinson.