LOCAL SCENE

April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Sheriff Robert Jonsen announced April 5 the County’s efforts to increase awareness about distracted driving with stepped up education and enforcement. April is “Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” both nationally and here in Santa Clara County.

“Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes, your hands, or your mind away from the task of driving,” Jonsen said. “Mobile devices remain the biggest distraction for drivers— whether it’s talking, texting, emailing, pictures, Facetiming or using an app.”

In 2006, California passed a law requiring that cell phones be used “hands-free” while drivers are behind the wheel. The law was authored by Simitian, who was then a member of the California State Senate. The State’s new “hands-free” law then took effect on July 1, 2008. The following year, traffic fatalities dropped 20 percent, and there were 700 fewer deaths on California roads and highways.

In 2008, Simitian introduced a follow-up bill to prohibit texting while driving which became law and took effect in 2009.

“My ‘hands-free’ cell phone bill might seem like simple common sense these days, but it was a hard sell at the time,” Simitian said. “It took me six efforts over a half-dozen years before it finally passed in 2006, with a razor thin margin.”

While progress has been made, the issue of distracted driving remains significant. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s most recent report found that despite the laws in place distracted driving is still a concern; in 2021 there was a 12% increase in fatalities where at least one driver was distracted, which resulted in 3,522 deaths nationwide. In Santa Clara County alone in 2021, there were more than 200 car crashes that involved distracted driving and 13 people were seriously injured or killed.

“It’s clear that most California drivers ‘get it.’ They understand just how dangerous distracted driving is, and most are doing their part to make our roads safer,” Simitian said. “But we also know that there are still too many drivers texting and talking while holding their phones.”

Current California laws prohibit drivers from using a cell phone or mobile device while holding it in their hand, even when stopped at a red light. The device can only be used in a hands-free manner, such as speaker phone or voice commands, but never while holding it. Any driver under the age of 18 is prohibited from using a cell phone while driving (except emergency calls), even hands-free.

“Distracted driving not only impacts other drivers, but it affects passengers, pedestrians and cyclists as well,” said Dr. Lubna Husain, Emergency Department Medical Director at O’Connor Hospital. “Every day we see the results of someone choosing to drive distracted, from minor shake ups to more severe injuries. Paying attention and driving safely protects not only yourself but also your loved ones and neighbors.”

Law enforcement agencies have the authority to enforce “hands-free” laws. This month, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office will provide increased enforcement for motorists using a handheld mobile device. Vehicle enforcement stops will include an educational reminder about the law, and repeat or severe offenders will be issued a citation.

Jonsen reminds drivers to “put your phone down and just drive.”

Visit leavethephonealone.info to learn more about distracted driving.

Programs Focus On Phishing Scams

April is Financial Literacy Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of financial education and maintaining smart money management habits. The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) will be hosting two in-person programs dedicated to providing people with the tools to protect themselves against sophisticated fraudsters and scams.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, in 2021 there were more than 847,000 complaints of suspected internet crime with losses exceeding $6.9 billion. The top three cybercrimes were phishing, non-payment/non-delivery schemes, and personal data breaches. Phishing is a tactic criminals use to get victims to reveal personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers.

“Cybercrimes come with a high financial toll that can wipe out a person’s life savings, and we want to help residents avoid falling victim,” County Librarian Jennifer Weeks said. “Our upcoming programs will introduce you to topics such as ‘phishing’ and you’ll learn what to look out for as well as ways to keep your online information safe.”

On Wednesday, April 19 at 11am, the Saratoga Library will host the first program featuring Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Erin West. West serves as a prosecutor to REACT—Santa Clara County’s high-tech investigative force who has disrupted fraudulent call centers abroad and is actively working to combat romance investment scammers. West will present different types of scams, and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from falling victim.

The second program is on Saturday, April 29 at 3pm at Cupertino Library. Riana Pfefferkorn, a Research Scholar at the Stanford Internet Observatory, will talk about common scams and how to avoid them.

At the end of both events, there will be a Q&A moderated by County Supervisor Joe Simitian, a member of the Library District’s governing board and an advocate for privacy protection and data security.

For information and to register, visit bit.ly/3MyqbN0 (Saratoga Library) and bit.ly/40RFiFL (Cupertino).