Cookeville Police Department made 47 traffic stops during a distracted driving saturation patrol Thursday.
Captain Jeff Johnson said for four hours the department paid close attention to certain areas that have a history of traffic accidents caused by distracted driving. He said the goal is to educate the public on safer driving habits.
“The Cookeville District experiences a distracted driving crash every 12 hours and 50 minutes with an estimated cost per year of over $14 million,” Johnson said. “So obviously we have a lot of drivers who maybe aren’t aware they’re not allowed to even hold their phone and talk on speaker.”
Johnson said distracted driving can include not using a hands-free device or just looking at the radio. He said he hopes the public takes away just how dangerous distracted driving can be, even if the action seems like a minor thing.
Johnson said most cars come hands-free now and if they are not, you can purchase a stand that will allow that. He said if you are having to deal with a situation in the car with a child or pet, you should pull over.
“We just want our citizens to be safe and the visitors that come here,” Johnson said. “Put your phones down and limit the distractions as much as you can.”
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