Driving and texting Police will target motorists on their cell phones

BONN · This Thursday, police in NRW will be cracking down on motorists who are using their cell phones while driving. An information booth at Münsterplatz in the city center will inform people about the dangers of distracted driving.

Just a quick check of the e-mails or writing a short WhatsApp message: Police in all of North Rhine-Westphalia will be on the lookout this Thursday for prohibited mobile phone use by motorists. The NRW police are participating in the nationwide initiative in Germany called “Sicher. Mobil. Leben.” (“Safe. Mobile. Live.”) Bonn police will also be taking part. In addition to the crackdown on motorists, there will be an information booth set up between 10:45am and 3pm on Münsterplatz, highlighting the dangers of mobile phone use while at the wheel.

Distraction by the use of smartphones is thought to be a common cause of serious traffic accidents. Studies from Austria even suggest that distraction plays a role in every third fatal accident. The interior ministers of the German states decided in autumn of 2017 to organize such an initiative on an annual basis.

About half of all drivers use their mobile phone while driving without a hands-free device, reported Wuppertal police. In the age group of 30- to 44-year-olds, a whopping 77 percent used the smartphone while at the wheel. Every sixth motorist writes text messages while driving.

(Orig. text: dpa, ga; Translation: ck)

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