Illinois State Police will conduct Distracted Driving Enforcement Program patrols in Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Will counties during November.

This program allows police to focus on distracted driving laws “to prevent traffic deaths and serious injury crashes,” according to a news release from ISP Troop 3.

Distracted Driving is doing another activity that takes the driver’s attention away from driving and can increase a driver’s risk of being in an accident, the release stated.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Over 3,000 people annually are killed in crashes involving distracted driving.
• Reading a text message can take a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. -
• Nearly 1 in every 10 injury crashes involved a distracted driver.

State police said officers will be on the lookout for drivers who disobey Illinois’ distracted driving laws.

• All drivers are prohibited from reading, sending, or receiving text messages or communication, video streaming, and from browsing the internet.
• All drivers are prohibited from using handheld electronic communication devices.
• Drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using any cellphone, even hands-free.
• All drivers are prohibited from using any cellphone, even hands-free, while in school speed zones and work zones.
• School bus drivers are not permitted to use any type of cellphone, even hands-free.
• It is illegal to use a cellphone or take photos or videos on wireless devices when driving within 500 feet of an emergency scene.

This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation, according to the release.