You’re driving to work when you hear your cell phone ringing from the passenger seat. Not noticing the police car pulling up alongside you, you reach across your center console, grab your phone and begin talking. Immediately, the policeman flashes his lights and you’re left with a ticket.
It’s been over a year now since Nevada enacted a ban on cell phone use while driving and some Nevadan drivers are unsure of how effectively it’s being enforced.
According to Reno local, Will Thomas, Nevada hasn’t changed its ways since this law took effect.
“I still see lots of people on their phone while driving and I’ve never heard of anyone getting in trouble for it,” said Thomas.
Thomas thinks that California law enforcement is more effective than that in Nevada. According to Thomas he knows of friends and family who have gotten pulled over for traffic violations and have been asked by officers to see their phones so that they can be sure there wasn’t a text sent or a call made while driving. But according to Highway Patrol Officer, Trooper Chuck Allen, the cause of Thomas’ frustrations is the public’s awareness of the law enforcement.
“The motoring public actually sees more violations than a trooper or a law enforcement officer while on duty because people tend to change their behavior when they see a marked police car,” said Allen.
And with just over 12,000 citations for distracted driving, specifically cell phone use, issued by the NHP last year, it’s safe to say that Nevada law enforcement is taking it seriously. Not only is NHP issuing tickets to enforce this law but making motorists wary by using advertisements and signs to make sure drivers are aware of the law as well as the risks they may be taking.
According to textinganddrivingsafety.com, you are 23 times more likely to be in a car accident while texting and driving.
According to Allen, because drivers are becoming stealthier at texting while driving there is a fear of crash activity increasing.
“They’re putting their phones on their laps, they’re holding them down lower than they were they could when it was legal to do so,” said Allen. “So now those who continue to text while driving are actually taking bigger risks because they are now trying to avoid a ticket, which is not going to be the case so much. The bigger fear is for them to be involved in a crash.”
Grecia Cardona, 19, believes the law just forces Nevada to be dishonest and sneaky about texting and driving.
“It has to do with the people not taking it seriously and thinking they can get away with it,” said Cardona.
The cell phone ban while driving has been in full force since Jan. 1st, 2012. In order to save yourself the trouble of a ticket and the misfortune of an accident follow some of Nevada Department of Transportation’s additional options to limiting distractions like securing your cell phone where you will not be tempted to access it while driving, make any phone calls before or after driving, pull over first if you must make a call, do not call someone who you know is driving at the time, and ask a passenger to assist you with distracting activities.
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