'Get Off Your Apps' For Distracted Driving Awareness Month FPD Says

FREMONT, CA — In honor of April being Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Fremont police officers say they are focusing on enforcing California's hands-free cell phone law.

“Holding your phone and using it while driving is not only dangerous but also illegal,”Fremont Police Department Lt. Ariel Quimson said. “Before starting the car, silence your phone or put it in the glove box, trunk, or back seat. Anywhere you can’t reach.”

According to the 2022 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 72% of drivers surveyed said that distracted driving because of texting was their biggest safety concern. In 2021, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued nearly 56,000 citations for distracted driving.

Police said they will be looking for drivers who are holding and using their phone while operating a car.

Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle, Fremont Police said in a news release.

"This includes talking, texting, or using an app," FPD said. "Using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a fine. Violating the hands-free law for a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point being added to a driver’s record."

Police are urging those who have to take or make an important phone call, text, email, or in a situation with other distractions, to pull over to a safe parking spot.

Funding for distracted driving enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.