By Wayne Gates
The Ohio Highway Patrol is cracking down on distracted drivers.
All of State Route 32 and U.S. 68 from Mt. Orab to just south of Georgetown are now areas where there will be increased enforcement.
“If one of our officers witnesses a traffic violation, for example, weaving, leaving their lane or going left of center, and see the driver on their phone, we would pull them over for the primary violation, and if we determine it’s because of distracted driving, they will be cited for that as well, said Lieutenant Randy McElfresh, Commander of the Georgetown OHP Post.
“Based on our historical crash data and enforcement efforts, we have determined that those two areas are the highest for distracted driving crashes.”
The distracted driving citation will be an additional $100 on top of the fine for the primary violation. McElfresh said that a typical citation for a primary offense and distracted driving would total approximately $225.
However, McElfresh said that there is a way that drivers can save that $100 dollars.
“We give them a pamphlet at the time of the traffic stop that describes a driver training program recognized by our local courts. If someone is cited for distracted driving, they can complete online course, print a completion certificate and mail it to the court that they are cited to, which will then dismiss the additional $100 fine for distracted driving.”
McElfresh said that drivers would still be responsible for the primary offense.
McElfresh said that distracted driving is an issue that affects everyone.
“The problem is worse now than it was a year ago. And we will probably be in a position a year from now where it’s even worse. This problem is not going away,” he said.
“The distracted driver who drifts left of center is just as dangerous as the driver that is out there under the influence of alcohol or drugs of abuse.”
And one second of distraction could change things forever for a driver and everyone else involved.
“If your vehicle drives left of center, there is not a more violent crash than a drivers headlight to drivers headlight impact. The human body is not designed to take a violent impact like that,” McElfresh said.
“Why would you do that to yourself or the people in your car or others on the road? Why would you do that to the people at home that are waiting for you?”
When asked what he would say to drivers who regularly take their eyes off the road, McElfresh said “Is that distraction worth your life? Because it can cost you your life. I’ve seen it. Is that text worth putting your loved ones through the pain and anguish of your loss?”
McElfresh describes the task of notifying the families of accident victims as the hardest job any trooper has to do.
“We say one sentence that rips the family apart for the rest of their life. ‘I’m sorry to inform you, but your loved one was involved in a crash today and unfortunately, they did not survive their injuries.’ You know that when you say those words, you have ripped their world from out from under them.”
