distracted driving

The Pasadena Police Department plans to conduct an enforcement operation focused on distracted driving violations on Friday, August 14. The law currently prohibits drivers from holding or using electronic communication devices while operating a vehicle. Using handheld cell phones while driving is punishable by a fine.

Colorado State Patrol reports that distracted driving is the leading cause of school bus crashes in the state, with El Paso County among the top three affected counties. The CSP highlights the risk to students traveling to school via various means.

A Texas police officer narrowly escaped a distracted driver who struck a car stopped for speeding on a freeway during a traffic stop on July 25. The incident, captured on bodycam footage, occurred just before 9 a.m. local time.

New Jersey officers dressed as shrubs to catch distracted drivers using their phones. The tactic aims to identify drivers violating distracted driving laws.

A New Jersey police officer disguised himself as a shrub to catch 74 drivers using devices while driving, as reported by the Dunnelen Police Department. The operation resulted in 74 citations issued within a six-hour period.

B.R.A.K.E.S. is offering a free three-hour hands-on course at Willow Run Airport to teach teen drivers emergency skills like skidding, panic braking, and distracted driving avoidance. The course, held July 25 and 26, focuses on car control, recovery techniques, and crash prevention, marking the second stop in Michigan due to high demand.

Road deaths have decreased by over 30% globally between 1990 and 2023, but 90% of fatal crashes now occur in low-income countries. The U.S. saw rising road deaths until 2021, with recent declines, while pedestrian fatalities dropped in 2025 but remain above pre-pandemic levels. A study by the University of Washington highlights disparities in safety measures between high- and low-income nations.

Road deaths have declined globally since 1990, with a 30% reduction in injuries and deaths between 1990 and 2023, but lower-income countries lag in improvement. The U.S. saw a peak in road deaths in 2021 followed by a decline, while pedestrian fatalities fell by 7% in 2025. The WHO reported a 21% global decline in road traffic deaths from 2011 to 2025, though 90% of road deaths occur in low-income countries.

Road deaths have declined globally by over 30% since 1990, but lower-income countries show little improvement. The WHO reported a 21% decline in road traffic deaths between 2011 and 2025, yet 90% of road deaths occur in low-income countries where safety measures lag behind urbanization and motor vehicle growth. In the U.S., fatalities peaked in 2021 but began declining in 2024.

Pasadena police will conduct a distracted-driving enforcement operation on Friday, July 10, targeting drivers violating California’s hands-free cell phone law. Officers will focus on motorists holding phones or electronic devices while driving, with violations carrying fines and increased penalties for repeat offenses.

A St. Paul community held a vigil to remember Barbara Mork-Woodford, who died in a pedestrian crash on June 8 near Hamline Avenue North. Friends and neighbors called for safer streets and alleged distracted driving, though police have not confirmed this. The case is under investigation by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

A 20-year-old sunbather was run over by a pickup truck driven by an allegedly distracted lifeguard at a beach, with witnesses present.

A lifeguard who was allegedly distracted drove over a woman lying in the sand at Francis Beach in Half Moon Bay. The woman was injured but is expected to survive.

A lifeguard who was allegedly distracted drove over a woman lying in the sand at Francis Beach in Half Moon Bay, injuring her. The woman is expected to survive.

Hong Kong police arrested 24 drivers and issued over 4,000 tickets during a two-week crackdown targeting distracted driving and jaywalking. The operations followed a more than 40 per cent increase in road accident deaths in the first five months of the year.

Illinois lawmakers advanced a bill to ban drivers from using AI-powered smart glasses, which allow video recording and messaging, to combat distracted driving. The legislation, awaiting Governor JB Pritzker’s signature, would make Illinois the first state to prohibit such devices, adding them to existing restrictions on electronic devices for drivers.

Serious traffic crashes causing injury or death are increasing in Los Angeles, prompting police to target dangerous intersections. Distracted driving and a surge in e-bikes and e-scooters are cited as contributing factors.

A distracted driver preparing a protein shake caused a recent crash, according to the California Highway Patrol Marin area office. The incident was highlighted as a cautionary example of unsafe driving behavior, with no injuries reported.

Guadalupe Rivera, a 60-year-old landscaping supervisor in Virginia, was killed when a speeding car collided with an SUV, leading to charges of involuntary manslaughter against the driver, Synclair Tyrone Mayes. The incident highlights issues of reckless driving and traffic fatalities in Virginia, with Rivera’s death being one of several recent tragedies linked to excessive speed and distracted driving.

Hong Kong police will launch a two-week citywide crackdown on distracted driving and jaywalking following a 42% year-on-year increase in traffic fatalities in the first five months of 2026. The crackdown targets inattentive driving and pedestrian jaywalking, which contributed to 51 deaths, with pedestrians accounting for half of the fatalities.

Police in Pennsylvania can now issue $50 tickets to distracted drivers using handheld devices, starting Friday under Paul Miller’s Law, which prohibits such use while driving or stopped. The law, signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2024, includes a $50 fine plus court costs and allows hands-free technology use. Enforcement coincides with a state campaign targeting impaired drivers, funded by a $6.7 million grant.

A careless driver, distracted and unaware he had killed a milkman, avoided jail. The incident highlights a tragic accident caused by driver negligence.