Patrol Catches Over 1,000 Drivers Using Phones In 2 Weeks

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota State Patrol says too many drivers are distracted by their cellphones.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that a recent two-week enforcement effort nabbed more than 1,000 people for distracted driving. Last year, more than 970 citations were issued over half that amount of time.

Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety director Donna Berger says the numbers during the two-week campaign show some drivers are getting the message.

But State Patrol Lt. Tiffani Nielson says too many people still think it's all right to look at their phone while driving. She says not being engaged with what's going on can cause an accident that could kill or injure someone on the road.

The State Patrol says about 6,000 people were cited for using their phones while driving in 2016.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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