NPD Addresses Texting and Driving

In the age of technology that we live in today, cell phones have become primary means of communication. From calling, to texting, tweeting, and everything in between- mobile devices provide a constant connection to others. However, this link can turn lethal when motorists make the dangerous decision to text while driving.
The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Norwood Police want to protect their citizens from these horrible crashes, and therefore have implemented a few new strategies to stop texting while driving.
“The way the law is written in Massachusetts, texting while driving is difficult to
enforce,” said Norwood Police Chief William Brooks. "This is because in Massachusetts
you can actually have your phone in your hand if you are making a call or using
navigation. Therefore, when police see a person with a phone in hand they are not
necessarily in violation of the law."
According to Chief Brooks, this is the first challenge. The second would be spotting people who are actually texting and driving. This is because people don’t do it when they are besides a marked police car. Although officers are always on the lookout for violations when they are on patrol, Chief Brooks found that they were not writing many citations for texting. This caused the department to seek out new ways where 'they might be more effective.'
One of these new strategies includes two bike officers splitting up on patrol- one
spotting and the other actually making the stops. This way they can run enforcement in
two directions at once. An officer on bike can also cruise slowly along slow moving
traffic so that they can actually see into the cars.
Motorcycles have also been employed in the same way as bikes.
"In this instance, they have an additional advantage of being able to catch up with motorists moving along at higher speeds,” Chief Brooks said.
Even one officer on foot working with an officer in a cruiser has provided helpful
enforcement to texting while driving for the department. These strategies have attracted some attention from locals, and this comes as no surprise to Brooks.
“We have used social media to advertise that we are doing it," Chief Brooks said. "Our goal is not to write a lot of tickets; our goal is to have people not text while they are
driving.”
In other words, Norwood Police seeks to be a deterrent. By combining enforcement with the use of social media, Brooks hopes the department is 'having some impact.' They will continue to run the officers on bikes 'manpower allowing,' but they expect to have bicycle patrols out every week throughout the fall.
People who text on their phones while driving cause crashes; and hopefully with
these new strategies Norwood will see less of them.