Distracted driving has become a far more pertinent issue as technology as become more integrated into everyday life.
Now, drivers education instructors are adding the topic to their curriculum.
“Every single class we show a video called The Last Text,” said David Perrone, an instructor at the Corpus Christi Driving School.
Distracted driving has also caused far more vehicle accidents. According to a 2017 report by the Texas Department of Transportation, 19 percent of all accidents were a result of distracted driving.
Corpus Christi Police Department says there is no excuse.
“Anytime you are using a cell phone while you are operating a motor vehicle without a hands-free device, you are violating a city ordinance,” Officer Arnold Guerra said.
Instructors and teachers are making the issue one of their top priorities.
“They need to be aware that it is super dangerous to be driving around and texting,” Rick Hinojosa of Hinojosa Driving School said.
CCPD officers have said that the problem has grown so large, that drivers on the road are unaware of their surroundings.
Sometimes, drivers will not notice marked police cars with which they share the road.
The amount of texting and driving citations handed out by CCPD is increasing by the year, Guerra said.
Officers say that hands-free devices are acceptable to use in the vehicle, but the driver of the car cannot be holding the phone at any time, including while stopped at red lights.
