Modesto police to look for distracted drivers Saturday

The Modesto Police Department will deploy extra traffic officers Saturday to look for distracted drivers.

Most drivers know that texting while driving is a dangerous behavior, but many still use their cellphones and other mobile devices when they are behind the wheel, putting themselves and others at risk, police said. Many drivers see distracted driving as risky when other drivers do it, but do not recognize how their own driving deteriorates, according to a news release from the department.

In 2013, there were 3,154 people killed and an estimated 424,000 injured nationwide in crashes involving a distracted driver. That same year, 10 percent of fatal crashes were reported as distraction-related.

While anything that takes your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off the task of driving is a hazard, there is heightened concern about the risks of texting while driving because it combines all three types of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive, police said. In addition, most drivers aren’t aware that just talking on a cellphone, whether hand-held or hands-free, can lead to “inattention blindness” as critical brain functions needed for driving are used for cellphone talking.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Modesto police to look for distracted drivers Saturday."