State Troopers Warn Marylanders Against Distracted Driving
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — April is the month the Maryland State Police ask residents to take driving seriously, and if drivers can't- they have expensive ways of helping you remember.
Why this month? April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, according to the National Safety Council.
About 100 times a day, Maryland State Troopers write up warnings or citations for distracted driving. Corporal Mark Massoni is looking for a certain type of violator- the distracted driver.
"So distracted driving is when you split your attention from off the road and the operation of your vehicle safely to anything else," said Corporal Massoni. "Anything inside the vehicle, whether it's talking to a passenger, adjusting the radio or using a handheld cellular device,"
And once on the road, it's not hard for troopers like Massoni to find a violator.
A first-timer will pay $140, then it's $160 for a third strike.
They have a name for what Massoni does when he pulls over people talking on the phone.
"The park the phone initiative," Massoni said.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook