The month of April has been designated as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so Lincoln City Police Department plans to utilize grant funds to put extra patrol officers on duty for Distracted Driving Enforcement. Our enforcement efforts will occur in conjunction with Distracted Driving Enforcement efforts conducted by other law enforcement agencies across the state and nation. Our first operation is planned for April 11, 2019, with other enhanced enforcement operations to follow during the month. Distracted Driving is a dangerous behavior for drivers, passengers, and non-occupants alike. Distracted driving is a specific type of inattention that occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task, to focusing on some other activity instead. These enforcement efforts are designed to increase the number of law enforcement officers on patrol with an emphasis on seeking out drivers who are distracted by talking or texting on their cell phones, or using other electronic devices while they are operating their vehicle. The goal of these enhanced enforcement efforts is to increase the safety of the citizens and visitors of Lincoln City. Statistical information provided by Oregon Impact indicate that from 2013-2017, there were 12,006 crashes involving a distracted driver in Oregon (all ages) resulting in 95 fatalities and 18,429 injuries. The Distracted Driving Enforcement grant funds are a valuable resource that assist us in improving the traffic safety in our community. Our goal is simple: to keep distracted drivers off the roadways and prevent crashes that cause injuries and cost lives. These grant funds are made possible through the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.
