Pike County, Ill.  – Working to cutdown distracted driving accidents, Capt. Jody Huffman, commander of Illinois State Police District 20, which is headquartered in Pittsfield, announced that troopers will conduct Distracted Driving Enforcement Program patrols in September throughout Pike County.

They will look for drivers who are violating Illinois laws that prohibit such things as reading, sending or receiving text messages. The law also prohibits browsing the internet while driving or using non-hands-free cellphones or electronic communication devices.

Use of cellphones, even hands-free, is illegal in work or school zones for anyone. Drivers under the age of 19 are prohibited from using any cellphone, even those that are hands-free.

According to state police, sending a text message increases the risk of an accident by four times and reading a text message can take a driver’s eyes off the road for 5 seconds or more. Even common activities like eating while driving can triple the chance of having a crash, according to police.