Crime & Safety

Cell Phone Ban in Cars Takes Effect in 2014

Lake in the Hills Police want motorists to know local officers will be on the look out for drivers using cell phones in 2014.

House Bill 1247 prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle on any road in Illinois while using a mobile phone or other electronic communication device, and this new law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2014, according to a Lake in the Hills Police Department press release.  

The bill makes exceptions for hands-free devices, including those with headsets that can initiate a call using a single button or a voice command., according to the news release. 

“Once the law goes into effect the Lake in the Hills Police will go into action, aggressively enforcing violations on the cell phone ban and citing drivers in violation of the new law," said James Wales, director of police and public safety for the LITH Police Department in the news release. 

Distracted driving has become an increasingly large problem in the last few years. 

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In 1995, cell phone subscriptions covered only 11 percent of the United States population; in 2010, that number grew to 93 percent. This has led to a substantial increase in cell phone use while driving, according to the news release. 

According to the National Safety Council, 23 percent of all crashes each year involve cell phone use, resulting in 1.3 million crashes nationally. Dis-tractions, along with alcohol and speeding, are now leading factors in fatal and serious injury crashes.

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 “The facts do not lie; the use of electronic devices put not only the user in danger but other motorists on the roadways," said LITH Police Department Sgt. Eric Decker. “Holding a cell phone up to your ear while driving creates an instant blind spot for drivers putting everyone in their path at risk." 


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