The Cambridge Police Department will partner with more than 200
eligible local Massachusetts law enforcement agencies and the Massachusetts
State Police in the national U Drive. U
Text. U Pay. mobilization to crack down on texting while driving. The campaign, which combines traditional and
innovative enforcement strategies, begins on April 8 and continues through
April 29. The initiative is funded by a grant
administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway
Safety Division (EOPSS/HSD) from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA).
“Texting and
driving requires motorists to take their eyes off the road, hands off the
wheel, and mind off the task of driving. Distracted Driving is a major problem
in Massachusetts, and we’re trying to keep the public safe by fining violators
with heightened enforcement,” said
Cambridge Police Deputy Superintendent Jack Albert.
Texting while driving was outlawed in Massachusetts in 2010. Adult drivers who write, send, or read
electronic messages or browse the Internet while driving face a $100 fine for a
first offense – even if the vehicle is stopped in traffic. Teen drivers under 18 are entirely prohibited
from using mobile phones and other electronic devices while driving, including
to make phone calls. The fine for a
juvenile first offense is $100, a 60 day license suspension, and required
completion of a driver attitudinal course.
These costly violations underscore the danger inherent in Distracted
Driving. In 2014, across the United
States, 3,179 people were killed and an additional 431,000 were injured in motor
vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
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The Cambridge Police Department is committed to the enforcement of laws and
preservation of order that protect the rights and property of every person
within the City of Cambridge. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of
police service and to impact crime, and its associated elements, through the
utilization of new and proven crime prevention strategies and problem-solving
partnerships with our community. For more information, follow @CambridgePolice on Twitter, or access the department’s Facebook page
at www.facebook.com/CambridgePolice.