"We're addicted to (phones), and as a result, we have an epidemic on our roads. It's killing far too many people," said Mike Hanson, Director of the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety.
He says already in 2019, there have been two deaths associated with distracted driving. One of those crashes involved the use of a cell phone. Hanson says Minnesotans aren't yet getting the message to put the phone away.
"It's not the time to catch up on your voicemails, it's not the time to catch up on your emails, or anything else that's going on on that electronic device. It's a time to concentrate on the road."
Hanson says the higher number of tickets is also indicative that officers and troopers are getting better at spotting texters.
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