Troopers to Focus on Distracted Drivers

Drivers
will notice an increase in state troopers on the roadways this week.

April marks national Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

“Distracted driving means anything that can take your mind off of
the road. That can be something such as a cognitive distraction, taking your
mind off the road. A manual distraction where you’re taking your hands off the
wheel, putting them some place in the car that’s not driving. And then also
visual, if you’re taking your eyes off the road, if you’re looking down, if you’re
grabbing your phone. All those are ways you can be distracted and cause harm,”
said Trooper Brice Nihiser.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is joining forces with five other
bordering states to focus on distracted driving enforcement this week.

“So, the number of troopers is probably going to be a little more
than usual, there will be overtime, there will be things in place so that we
can get as many people out on the road making sure everyone’s driving safely,” said
Nihiser.

In the last four years more than 200 people have been killed on
Ohio roadways in distracted driving related crashes.