Napa PD Announces Monthlong Crackdown On Drivers Caught Using Phones

NAPA, CA — With April being Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Napa Police Department announced it is actively looking for drivers throughout the month who are in violation of California's hands-free cell phone law.

“Holding your phone and using it while driving is not only dangerous but also illegal,” Napa police Sgt. Aaron Medina 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 percent of drivers surveyed said distracted driving because of texting was their biggest safety concern.

In 2021, the California Highway Patrol issued nearly 56,000 citations for distracted driving. Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle. This includes talking, texting, or using an app. 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.

According to Napa police, if a driver has an important phone call, text or email, or is in a situation with other distractions, they should pull over to a safe parking spot. Other distractions can be eating, grooming, reaching for something that fell on the floor, putting on or taking off clothing, talking with passengers, or children in the back seat, police said.

Funding for Napa PD's distracted driving enforcement was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.