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Distracted driving has become a major concern across the nation. Many states have enacted legislation that makes texting while driving a traffic violation. The statistics on the issue are grim. According to a 2019 survey, 37% of respondents 18 to 34 said that they felt a high degree of pressure to respond to work-related messages while driving. One in three female drivers admitted to taking photos while driving. It seems that iPhone users are more likely than Android users to be distracted, as they are twice as likely to video chat, use Instagram, and stream shows on Netflix and Hulu while driving.
WSB Radio reports on a unique way that Marietta Police officers used to catch distracted drivers.
On Wednesday, Marietta Police used an ingenious tactic to catch more than 100 drivers violating the Hands-Free Georgia Act which prohibits texting or holding a cell phone while driving.
At the intersection of Cobb Parkway and Roswell Road, near the famed Big Chicken, three Marietta police officers dressed as utility workers. They were watching for drivers who were violating the Hands-Free law or not wearing seatbelts. The Hands-Free law went into effect last July.
When they spotted those violating the law, they radioed vehicle descriptions to uniformed officers waiting in nearby parking lots.
It was a joint operation, involving Marietta police, Cobb County police, and the Georgia State Patrol. The operation ran from 9:30 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. Georgia State Patrol troopers wrote 29 tickets. Between Marietta police and Cobb County police, 141 tickets were written. Three people were arrested. Two were arrested on driver’s license issues. The third was arrested for a previous crime.
Fifteen states have enacted similar laws. They have experienced a 16% drop in distracted driving accidents.
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