The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office is leading a local initiative to bring awareness to new statistics. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers who end up in fatal crashes , Ingham County Sheriff Deputy Josh Treat said.
Distracted driving can include texting or using cell phones, eating and drinking, reading, using a GPS or messing with the radio.
The campaign puts a special focus on texting while driving because it requires visual, manual and cognitive attention from the driver, Treat said.
According to officials at 54-B District Court , a citation for texting and driving in East Lansing costs about $210.
MSU police Lt. Randy Holton said remaining on alert for texting and driving offenders is especially important to local police because East Lansing has high levels of vehicle traffic, pedestrians and bicyclists.
This month, he said the department is taking the cause “a step further.”
The department is setting their focus on community safety and making contact with any drivers who they feel are distracted or driving carelessly.
Michigan’s campaign targets teens and young adults because the act is most often committed by younger drivers, Treat said.
Construction management sophomore Luke Dubois said he was rear-ended by a driver who was texting.
The accident caused about $13,000 worth of damage to his car.
Despite the cost of the collision, Dubois said he still hasn’t kicked the habit himself.
“I still text and drive because I’m confident in my ability to send a short message while not taking my attention off the road,” he said.
The department also plans to use their social media accounts to educate the community about distracted driving, Holton said.
Educational flyers also will be posted in each neighborhood on campus to encourage proper driving laws and bicycle and pedestrian safety, he said.
East Lansing police Capt. Jeff Murphy said the motorcycle traffic unit will continue to enforce the texting while driving law.
