CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Area police departments are tallying the number of citations written in April for Distracted Driving Awareness Month and those that have made them public are reporting similar figures.
Bolingbrook police wrote more than 300 tickets, and 195 for violations involving electronic communications devices, people texting and talking. In Naperville they wrote about 250 tickets, with 201 of them for cell phone violations. They also apprehended a fugitive wanted on a felony warrant. Both departments also wrote tickets for not having insurance, seat belt violations, and driving on suspended or revoked licenses.
Naperville police also issued another 50 cell phone tickets outside the distracted driving enforcement campaigns. Each carries a fine of $120.
Naperville Police Sergeant Derek Zook said distracted driving is a persistent problem that can have life-altering consequences and he said the numbers probably don't give an accurate picture.
"If you look at our overall stats in regards to crashes involving distracted driving its relatively low. Now, the reason I think that is is because most people in Illinois are aware they can't be on a cell phone and driving so when they're involved in a crash they don't necessarily tell us they were on the phone."
And without evidence a person was on the phone, he said, like an eye-witness, police can't subpoena cell phone records in cases of minor crashes.
Zook said in 2017 they wrote 1,197 tickets for cell phone violations. Last year the number was 1,250.
