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Operation Ghost Rider targets distracted driving in Oakland County
This week an emphasis on distracted driving brings a crackdown on the roads.
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office are cracking down on distracted driving.
Planned enforcements along the M-59 corridor will take place on Oct. 21 and Oct. 28 as part of Operation Ghost Rider, the office said.
Dig deeper:
Two years ago, Michigan updated its distracted driving law to better define what drivers can and cannot do behind the wheel. According to the law, drivers cannot do "any task" on a mobile electronic device.
Prohibited actions include making and receiving phone calls, sending and reading text messages, recording videos, and using social media. Essentially, anything that involves holding a phone is banned. Additionally, drivers who have their phones mounted to the dashboard or connected to their vehicle's infotainment system are only allowed a single touch of the device.
This law applies both when in motion and while stopped at a red light or in traffic.
By the numbers:
According to data from the state, crashes involving cell phone use decreased from 2023 to 2024, but fatal crashes linked to cell phone use spiked.
There were 18 fatal crashes that involved cell phone use in 2024, up from 11 in 2023. Twenty-one people were killed, a 91% increase from the 11 deaths in 2023.
Michigan saw alarming spike in work zone fatalities, bicycle crashes last year
Michigan State Police's traffic crash summary breaks down crashes, deaths, and factors involved in comparison to the previous year. The newly released 2024 report shows that both crashes and fatalities were up, with both work zone and bicycle-involved fatal crashes seeing alarming jumps.
The Source: This information is from previous reporting and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
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