Phoning or texting while driving? Police are targeting drivers like you

The Laguna Beach Police Department is one of 200 law enforcement agencies throughout California participating in National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April.

On April 9 and 23, Laguna Beach officers will be especially alert to drivers talking or texting on their cellphones, Sgt. Tim Kleiser wrote in an email.

“Imagine driving for four or five seconds while blindfolded,” Lt. Jeff Calvert said in a news release. “That can be the effect of looking down to send a text message. In the average time it takes to check a text message — less than five seconds — a car traveling 60 mph will travel more than the length of a football field.”

The state’s Office of Traffic Safety is using the catchphrase “Silence the distraction” in new public service announcements aimed at getting people to turn off their phones before getting behind the wheel so they won’t be tempted to answer a call.

“No text, call or social media update is worth a crash,” Office of Traffic Safety Director Rhonda Craft said in the release. “With an average of less than a second to react to an urgent situation, drivers need to have all their attention on the roadway.”

Law enforcement agencies will visit schools throughout the month to teach students about the dangers of distracted driving.

—Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce