DC Police Crack Down on Driving While Talking

Taken from NBC4's website:

WASHINGTON -- District of Columbia police said they are increasingly handing out citations to people who drive while talking on a cell phone.D.C. law requires drivers who want to talk on a cell phone while driving to use a hands-free device.City officials said police issued about 8,300 tickets for talking on cell phones while driving last year. In 2005, there were about 7,500 tickets issued for the action, an increase in 2006 of about 11 percent.

Police said they are now stepping up efforts to crack down on the offense, giving $100 citations for talking while driving. Authorities said they still give warning tickets for illegal cell phone use but not always.The hands-free cell phone law has been in place in the District since late 2004.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said the key to safety is driver education and visible enforcement. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration andthe Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, nearly 80 percent ofstudied crashes are caused by driver inattention. The groups cite cellular telephone use as a common distraction.