Lockport Police On Lookout For Distracted Drivers For April Campaign

LOCKPORT, IL — Lockport Police officers will be on the lookout for distracted drivers and will be issuing tickets for motorists using their cell phone while behind the wheel as part of a month-long campaign that begins Friday.

The Lockport Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies throughout the state as part of the “Drop It and Drive" campaign that is being run as part of Distracted Driver Awareness month, officials said.

“Texting while driving puts everyone on the road at risk by distracting a driver visually, manually, and cognitively,” police said in a news release. “During Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we’re working to increase awareness of these dangers and encourage all motorists to give driving their full attention.”

At a time when traffic fatalities are on the rise in Illinois and across the country, the Lockport Police committed to reducing the traffic crashes caused by distractions like texting or talking on a cell phone.

The release said that motorists can expect to see increased patrols and enforcement zones during the entire month of April. Lockport Police will be ticketing drivers who text or use their cell phones while driving, officials said.

The distracted driving campaign is funded by federal traffic safety money that is administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation.