Put down the cell phone: Columbus police on lookout for distracted drivers this week

Columbus drivers should expect to see a heavier police presence in the coming days as Distracted Driving Enforcement Week rolls on.

The month of April has also been designated as Distracted Driver Awareness month by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

The GOHS joined together with Georgia and Alabama law enforcement in Phenix City on Tuesday to reinforce safe driving. After the press conference, Columbus Police Department officers patrolled Uptown on motorcycles, four-wheelers and in police cars to amp up their enforcement of distracted driving and driving without seat belts.

“Understand that distracted driving is a choice. People choose to be distracted from driving, and if you choose to be distracted from driving, the Georgia State Patrol is going to choose to pull you over,” said Lt. Maurice Raines with the Georgia State Patrol.

Georgia drivers must abide by the hands free law, which went into effect in 2018. Under the law, drivers cannot use or touch their phone at all while driving or use their body to support the device.

Alabama laws are more lax than Georgia’s with drivers getting tickets that increase in amount each time they are caught writing, sending or reading texts while driving.