In case you hadn't heard, talking on the phone (without a hands-free device) and texting while driving are illegal. But if drivers in Torrance are any indication, it's a law that many people are quite happy to ignore.
On Wednesday, the Torrance Police Department busted 41 talking, texting violators in a single hour, reported the Los Angeles Times.
A Torrance PD traffic operation was set up on Hawthorne Boulevard at 10:30 a.m. And with fines for first-time offenders set at $142, the operation pulled in more than $5000 before noon.
Sgt. Jeremiah Hart said the real goal, however, was to increase awareness and reduce distractions. Statistics provided by Nationwide Insurance state that drivers on cell phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
"We're seeing this a lot. Let's go out and do some education on this," he told the Times.
