DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois State Police are reminding the public that texting while driving makes a person 23 times more likely to crash.
Despite a new law, many motorists are still reaching for their phones and other distractions.
Illinois State Police Trooper Joseph Rush said distracted driving is a rampant issue in central Illinois.
"We're seeing these violations in the city, we're seeing them out on the interstate at interstate speeds, and we're also seeing them on the highways," the trooper explained.
State police data shows for District 10, there's been more distracted driving citations so far this year (194) than in 2018 altogether (162).
As of July 1, 2019, a new Illinois law raised the fine motorists face for texting and driving. It also made the act a moving violation.
Trooper Rush say it's still too early to nail down specifics, but despite stiffer penalties, officials are still seeing a large amount of drivers who are driving distracted and being stopped and ticketed for the violation.
Rush adds that distracted driving has unfortunately become the norm. He says many drivers don't even realize they're doing it.
"You have the inexperienced drivers who obviously don't need to be texting because they need to be focusing on what they're doing,” explained Rush. “Then, you have the drivers that are comfortable with driving, and feel that they can and that they have the abilities to drive and operate a motor vehicle safely while distracted. That's just not the case. We're seeing both of them that are being impacted by being involved in traffic crashes."
The trooper hopes more education and enforcement of the newest law will reduce distracted driving-related crashes and deaths.
"They have to realize it's not just them that are out on the roadways,” said Rush. “There’s other people, and they're taking their lives and others' lives in danger when they're driving distracted."
Less than a week ago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed another new law. It said if texting and driving causes a crash and someone is injured, the driver may have their license suspended or revoked for a year. They could also face a $1,000 dollar minimum fine. This law takes effect next July.
