CHP Santa Cruz Posts Video Of Distracted Driving Crash

WATSONVILLE, CA — Santa Cruz California Highway Patrol shared a video on social media showing a distracted driving crash as a reminder to drivers during Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The video shows the driver of a truck slam into the back of a van stopped in traffic after looking down to use an object resembling a cell phone.

CHP said the driver had minor injuries. They did not list the condition of the driver of the van.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 3,142 people were killed and 431,000 were injured in car crashes as a result of distracted driving in 2019, CHP said.

"Distraction does not just mean texting on your phone, it can also include eating and drinking, grooming, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the radio, or navigation system," CHP said.

Police have been on the lookout in Watsonville and throughout Santa Cruz County for distracted drivers. In early April, officers issued more than 70 citations in Watsonville as part of a traffic enforcement program known as 'BADGES', Before Aggressive Drivers Get Everyone Stopped.

Officers from California Highway Patrol, Scotts Valley, Capitola, Santa Cruz and Watsonville were involved in the program.

"It's up to our community. We ask that people please have enough time to get where you're going if you need to leave earlier," Sergeant Donny Thul said. Please put your phones down. Please drive safely and arrive alive."