This month, Illinois state troopers are cracking down on distracted driving. April is distracted driving month, and considering the recent trooper deaths, there is expected to be much more enforcement.

First, if you are pulled over for distracted driving, the best thing to do is contact an attorney who regularly fights these tickets. Contact an attorney at Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. right now and have a free consultation.

There are some tickets the police will be focusing on.

The law for “Texting while driving” is codified in Electronic Communication Devices is 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2. The statute states: “A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device.”

There are a few exceptions. For one, this does not apply to voice-activated, hands-free devices. Next, if you are a police officer or a first responder, then the law does not apply to you. Or if you are reporting an emergency, or if your vehicle is stopped on the side of the road, or if you are stopped due to traffic and the car is in neutral or park, you can use an electronic device. Lastly, there are certain exceptions: for example, if you are using a band radio or two way communication devices.

A driver caught violating this statute will be guilty of a petty offense. A petty offense is a non-moving violation. However, the fines go up each subsequent time. The first offense is $75, a second $100, a third $125, and then $150 for the fourth or subsequent offense after.

A person will have committed a Class A misdemeanor if the violation resulted in great bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement to another. A class 4 felony is if the violation resulted in the death of another person. You will need to contact an experienced and aggressive Wheaton traffic offenses attorney if there has been an accident or death. Call Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C. now for a free consultation.

Because of the toll on Illinois roads that distracted driving is taking, legislatures including Illinois’ now make operating a cell phone while driving a moving violation. Likewise, Scott’s law, which mandates slowing down and moving over for a first responder’s vehicle with lights activated, is being vigorously enforced in light of a record number of Illinois State Trooper fatalities in 2019. 

You may have heard traffic enforcement is down in Chicago, which is true, because now officers have to appear in traffic cases in the circuit court rather than face a layman hearing officer in an administrative hearing. Regardless, these are highly fact intensive situations. Traffic safety experts, engineers, and statisticians generally agree that distracted driving may be as responsible for automotive accidents in an amount equal to or greater than drunken driving! Distracted driving can be as old fashioned as a housewife frequently taking her eyes off the road to turn around and yell at her children in the minivan or as modern as someone juggling their cell phone, onboard navigation system, or possibly both!

Drive carefully, or you could be charged with distracted driving, and you may face severe criminal penalties. Do not, however, just wonder or try to do your own legal research via internet search! Call the actual DuPage County traffic violation lawyers at Ramsell & Kunowski, L.L.C., LLC at 630-665-8780 whenever you get a traffic ticket and we can advise you how best to proceed!