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CHP Set To Crack Down On Distracted Driving In April

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The California Highway Patrol along with the NHTSA are hoping to educate drivers on the dangers of texting or talking on the phone behind the wheel.

Along with the CHP, law enforcement agencies across the state are cracking down on distracted motorists.

"We are taking part of a national campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to bring attention to the issue of distracted driving; specifically cell phone use and texting and driving," said CHP Commissioner Joseph Farrow.

According to Farrow, more motorists are using their cellphone or texting while driving. He said either people are not aware of the laws or don't understand the risks.

CHP Hopes For Education, Not Citation During National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Farrow said the goal of the campaign is to educate motorists of the dangers, not necessarily to simply ticket drivers.

"We're hopeful that we don't write any citations. We're hoping that people understand and will drive responsibly. But if not, the patrol will be out there along with most police departments in the state of California, so it's not just the Highway Patrol," he said.

Farrow said that more than 3,000 people across the country were killed last year as the result of distracted driving.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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