The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced on Mar. 30 that April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, reminding drivers to stay focused and avoid distractions while driving.
This campaign aims to reduce the number of crashes caused by distracted driving, which continues to be a major concern for public safety. Authorities stress that even brief moments of distraction can have serious consequences on the road.
“Distracted driving continues to put everyone on the road at risk,” Deputy Jason Slover said. “When drivers take their eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, lives can change forever. We’re reminding our community that safety starts with each of us. Put the phone down, limit distractions, and help people get home safely.”
According to the announcement, nearly 71.4% of drivers surveyed in California identified distracted driving from texting or checking a phone as their biggest safety concern in a recent statewide survey conducted in 2025. In addition, there were 158 fatalities linked to distracted driving crashes in California during 2023—a rise of 6.8 percent compared to the previous year.
Throughout April, deputies will be actively enforcing California’s hands-free cell phone law. The law prohibits holding or using an electronic device while operating a vehicle—even when stopped at red lights—and violations may result in fines and additional points on a driver’s record for repeat offenses within three years.
Drivers are encouraged to silence notifications and store phones out of reach while behind the wheel, set up navigation before starting out, keep both hands on the wheel, model good behavior for passengers—especially young drivers—and pull over safely if urgent matters arise.
Funding for these enforcement efforts comes from a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
