Between now and Jan. 30, Nevada’s law enforcement agencies throughout the state will be Joining Forces and citing distracted drivers. Nevada law states any use of a handheld electronic device — cell phone, mp3 player, GPS device, etc. — while driving is illegal and offenders will be pulled over and cited.
Nevada’s ban on handheld devices while driving went into effect Jan. 1, 2012, and still, law enforcement continues to spot and cite offenders every day.
Research has found using a cell phone behind the wheel makes a driver four times more likely to get into a serious crash. Additionally, when sending or receiving text messages behind the wheel, a driver’s eyes are off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, equivalent to driving the length of a football field at 65 mph.
Law enforcement reminds motorists this increased enforcement isn’t just limited to cell phone use behind the wheel. Surfing the Internet, using a GPS or changing the song on your mp3 player are all common, illegal distractions taking motorists’ eyes off the road and cause crashes throughout the state.
