Utah cops crack down on distracted driving as new law is set to take effect - KUTV 2News
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Law enforcement officers across Utah are cracking down on distracted drivers through the weekend.
The effort, which is part of a nationwide “U Drive U Text U Pay” campaign, comes as Utah saw an 8.7 percent increase in distracted driving-related crashes in 2021 compared to the year before.
From those 5,364 crashes, 12 people died and 113 people sustained serious injuries, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety. Forty-one percent of the crashes were related to cell phone usage, according to DPS.
“A vehicle can be a weapon. It can be a very dangerous weapon. A lot of people can get hurt,” said UHP Major Jeff Nigbur. “We need to focus on what we are doing. We need to focus on driving.”
Officers from multiple agencies began their ramped-up enforcement Thursday morning, using an unmarked van to spot violations of Utah’s distracted driving laws and alerting marked vehicles to pull those drivers over.
According to Utah Highway Patrol, police agencies across the state will take part in more than 100 extra shifts through the weekend specifically focused on distracted driving.
Gov. Spencer Cox recently signed into law Senate Bill 102, the latest tightening of the state’s distracted driving law which prohibits viewing or taking photos while driving – essentially a ban on selfies.
"Hopefully it’ll make people aware of what is appropriate while you’re driving," said Sen. Chris Wilson (R-Logan), the sponsor of the bill. "Hold off on taking selfies until you get to your destination."
Police are also reminding Utahns that distracted driving can take many forms, not just cell phone usage.
To date, there have been 849 distracted driving-related crashes this year, DPS said.
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source: https://kutv.com/news/local/utah-cops-crack-down-on-distracted-driving-as-new-law-is-set-to-take-effect
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