MASSACHUSETTS STATE AND LOCAL POLICE BACK
2014 NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Massachusetts state and local police departments will voluntarily join a nationwide high-visibility enforcement blitz in a concerted effort to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Law enforcement personnel across the United States will be cracking down on motorists who text and drive April 10th through April 15th. According to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nationwide in 2012, more than 3,328 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers, and approximately 421,000 people were injured. Massachusetts law makes it illegal for any operator of a motor vehicle to use a mobile telephone, or any handheld device capable of accessing the internet, to manually compose, send or read an electronic message while operating a motor vehicle. Fines start at $100 and can be as high as $500 for subsequent offenses. Drivers under the age of eighteen are also subject to license or permit suspension for up to one year.