Almost 12,000 Distracted Driving Citations in Nevada

The Nevada Highway Patrol reported that state troopers issued 11,992 traffic citations to drivers who were engaging in distracted driving cell phone behavior including talking without hands-free technology, texting, reading and all other non-voice-activated communication in 2012.

Fortunately, statistics and numbers show that issuing such citations is a tool that deters distracted driving accidents and lowers recidivism rates. Of the nearly 12,000 distracted driving citations issued only 30 represent a second offense, and 25 indicate a third citation. The fines for offenses are $112.00 for a driver without any points on their driving record, a second offense is $192.00 and all subsequent offenses are $352.00.

Nevada State Troopers recall that most distracted driving cell phone citations were issued when a driver was stopped at a red light and believed it to be permissible to check messages, emails and more. In Nevada, laws state that smartphone mapping programs can only be used when voice-activated and the phone is in a cradle. NHP spokesman Chuck Allen said that people who want to talk on their cell phones while driving need to use Bluetooth or something else to make the calls hands-free.