BERRIEN COUNTY — April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies will be joining forces across the country to intensify enforcement of state and local texting and distracted-driving laws, and to raise awareness about the dangers and legal implications of distracted driving.

This annual campaign is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s national U Drive, U Text, U Pay, high-visibility enforcement effort that runs from April 11 to April 15.

“People know texting and driving is dangerous and illegal, but they do it anyway, and it puts others at risk” said Sheriff L. Paul Bailey. “Beginning April 11, you will see increased law enforcement efforts, as officers will be stopping and ticketing anyone who is caught texting and driving. We are not trying to rack-up citations — we are trying to save lives. If you text and drive, you will pay.”

According to NHTSA, between 2012 to 2017, nearly 20,000 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. In fact, there were 3,166 people killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2017. This means that nearly one-tenth of all fatal crashes that year were reported as distraction-affected.

Over the years, millennials have become some of the biggest texting-while-driving offenders, also using their cell phones to talk and to scroll through social media while behind the wheel, police said. According to NHTSA, young drivers 16 to 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices at higher rates than older drivers since 2007. In fact, in 2017, 8 percent of people killed in teen driving crashes died when teen drivers were distracted at the time of the crashes. Female drivers are most at-risk for being involved in a fatal crash involving a distracted driver.

Every day, police ticket drivers who haven’t gotten the message that using their cell phones while driving puts every other road user at risk. Police said they all know the dangers associated with distracted driving. Whether it’s eating and drinking behind the wheel, Using GPS, talking to other vehicle passengers, or using the cell phone, it’s all dangerous when a person is driving. Police are determined to impress upon those drivers: “Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.”

Violating Michigan’s Distracted Driving laws can be costly. Michigan’s Distracted Driving Law: prohibiting reading, typing, or sending text messages on communication devices, is punishable by a civil infraction citation with a $100 fine for the first offense, and a $200 fine for a second or subsequent offense.

An analysis by the AAA Foundation of 2009 to 2012 data found that while more than 80 percent of drivers believed that it was completely unacceptable for a motorist to text behind the wheel, more than a third of those same drivers admitted to reading text messages while operating a motor vehicle themselves.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office and the NHTSA are urging drivers to put the phone down when they get behind the wheel. If they need to text, then pull over and do not drive.

Police recommended the following tips for a phone-free driving experience:

• If expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park the vehicle in a safe location. Once safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.

• Designate a passenger as the “designated texter.” Allow them access to the phone to respond to calls or messages.

• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.

• Cell phone use can be habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Put the cell phone out of reach in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of the vehicle until you arrive at your destination.

• Texting while driving is dangerous and illegal. Break the cycle. Remember: U Drive, U Text, U Pay.

For more information, visit trafficsafetymarketing.gov