April 11--Orland Park police say drivers tempted to check their phones are less likely to get off with a warning now that an Illinois law banning drivers from using hand-held cell phones is in its second year.
Police gave 300 tickets for using hand-held electronic devices behind the wheel in the first quarter of 2015, said Orland Park Police Cmdr. Laura Guerra. That's down 25 percent from the same period last year, but slightly above last year's quarterly average, according to police records.
Guerra said she's not sure what's behind the drop, but hopes it's because drivers are getting the message that using a cell phone behind the wheel is dangerous.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,154 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving in the U.S. in 2013, down slightly from 3,328 the year before.
Orland Park police have tried to crack down on distracted driving since the hand-held cell phone ban took effect last year, Guerra said, assigning certain officers to specifically watch for phone use, posting warnings on roadside message boards and leaving flyers about the dangers of texting and driving on each student vehicle at Sandburg High School.
Last year, police issued 1,146 citations, including 420 warnings to drivers using cell phones, according to records. Officers can still give warnings if circumstances warrant, but this year, they'll be "frowned upon," Guerra said.
"Because it was a new law, we needed to educate people," she said. "Now everyone's aware of the law, but unfortunately not all are complying."
Guerra said officers can see through drivers' attempts to shield phones in their laps or under the steering wheel.
"When we come up to a stoplight, we see it all the time. You can see eyes diverting down, thumbs moving," she said.
Texting while stopped at a light, though common, is just as illegal as texting while the car is moving, she said.
"I think we've all seen news reports of horrific accidents involving distracted driving. I don't think there's anything that important that it just can't wait, or if you need to, just pull off the roadway," she said.
lzumbach@tribpub.com
