The Ohio State Highway Patrol is conducting stepped-up enforcement of distracted driving laws during the first eight days of April to kick off National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The initiative began at 12:01 a.m. Monday and will continue through 10:59 p.m. next Monday, April 8, focusing primaily on texting while driving, drivers under 18 using cellphones, and other distracted driving violations.
The enhanced enforcement is part of an effort by the 6-State Trooper Project, which also includes all states surrounding Ohio: Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Related article: How many distracted driving violations were there in Ohio in 2023? Data shows large spike
Ohio’s distracted driving laws went into effect in October 2023. During the last three months of 2023, Highway Patrol troopers issued 3,575 citations for distracted driving violations — a 119% increase over 2022.
The 28 fatal crashes caused by distracted driving in 2023 were also the lowest in the past five years, the patrol said.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Highway Patrol effort targets distracted drivers through April 8
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