News Release from Lane Co. Sheriff’s Office
Posted on FlashAlert: April 1st, 2022 8:36 AM
Distracted Driving continues to claim the lives of thousands of Americans every year. As a preventable form of accidental death, we all need to do our part to hold ourselves and loved ones accountable for this very dangerous behavior.
From April 4-11, 2022, law enforcement officers from across the country will work together specifically to enforce texting and distracted driving laws to make our roads safer for all road users.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office will be utilizing grant funding made available through Oregon Impact and the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration to staff additional patrols targeting dangerous driving behaviors.
Lane County Sheriff’s Sergeant Tim Ware tells us, “Every year the percentage of fatal traffic crashes involving distracted driving increases. We as a society have to accept responsibility for these deaths and really hold ourselves and others accountable. Every one of these crashes is preventable.”
Violating Oregon’s distracted driving law (ORS 811.507 – Operating motor vehicle while using electronic device) holds that a first conviction is a Class B traffic violation with a presumptive fine of $265. A second conviction is a Class A violation with a presumptive fine of $440. A third conviction is a Class B Misdemeanor that could result in up to 6 months incarceration and a fine of no less than $2,000.
“None of these penalties even come close to the value of the lives that are lost due to distracted driving,” says Ware. “Please do your part and put your phones down while driving.”
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George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
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