30 March 2024
Stay off your phone and put down that cheeseburger while you’re driving, state officials say, warning that distracted drivers will be the target of a law enforcement campaign during April.
“Scrolling through social media on your cell phone. Unwrapping that delicious cheeseburger. Checking that work email that someone just sent. Those are all fine — from the comfort of your couch. Behind the wheel? They could be deadly,” says the state Department of Public Safety, warning that law enforcement will be spending extra time in April looking for distracted drivers.
Between 2019 and 2023, distracted driving in Minnesota was a contributing factor in nearly 30,000 crashes, DPS said. It also annually contributed to some 29 deaths and 146 “life-changing injuries” during that time period.
“Simply put, a two-ton vehicle with a distracted driver behind the wheel can steal a life,” said Mike Hanson, director DPS’ Office of Traffic Safety. “Don’t fool yourself. You’re distracted anytime you shift your attention from driving. It can be challenging, but for everyone’s safety, focus on driving.”
The hands-free cellphone use law means drivers can’t hold their phone in their hands, officials said. Drivers can use their phones to call, text, listen to music or podcasts, or get directions only by a single touch activation without holding their phones or by voice commands.
Drivers who injure or kill someone while violating the hands-free law can face criminal vehicular operation or homicide charges.
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