Last updated April 12, 2019
The law against using a new or old cell phone while operating a motor vehicle in Jefferson in the United States is not new, but it is the focus of a new police crackdown on the offence. The extra enforcement began on Tuesday and will continue until Monday the sixth of June.
“Cell phone use while driving has become the number one cause of distracted driving and driving while texting has been compared to driving while intoxicated,” says Captain Eric Wilsusen. “Regardless of the law, many drivers regularly drive while texting and talking on their cell phone.” Drivers in the state are still legally allowed to use hands-free cell phones while operating a motor vehicle, yet many are still persisting in using their hands to work their cell phones despite its illegality. The irony is compounded by the fact that the purchase of a hands-free unit to allow people to use their cell phones while driving a motor vehicle actually costs less than a fine for breaking the law by using an ordinary cell phone, which amounts to $130.
Wilsusen says that everyone from regular police patrols to detectives will be participating in the extra crackdown, but insists that the main purpose of the new enforcement is to provide the community with extra awareness of the existence of the law, as well as protecting the safety of other road users.