Oklahoma Highway Patrol Focusing On Distracted Driving

Because the winter climate is available in, the Oklahoma Freeway Patrol is warning drivers of how harmful distracted driving is.

The OHP has spent this month pulling individuals over for texting and driving or driving distracted. Troopers do that distracted driving marketing campaign annually to honor a trooper who was killed by a distracted driver again in 2015. Trooper Nick Dees was killed eight years in the past by somebody checking their social media whereas driving.

OHP says though many drivers noticed Dees working a crash and moved over, the one which didn’t value Dees his life.

“Wanting again on the sprint cam, there have been so many autos that did the best factor,” stated Trooper Eric Foster with the Oklahoma Freeway Patrol. “They slowed down, they moved over, for all the primary responders that had been there. However there was one which went round marked models and struck two troopers strolling on the roadway, making an attempt to assist individuals.”

Foster says being alert is much more essential on days when it’s raining or snowing.

“When it’s moist, or when it’s slick, you want really extra time to decide to decelerate, than you’ll even in pristine roadways,” stated Foster.

He says texting and driving or being distracted by meals, make-up, the radio, or the rest, may be as harmful as driving drunk.

“I can not inform you what number of instances I’ve stopped a car that could not keep its lane, was reducing different vehicles off, issues like that, that I instantly thought, that is very indicative of an intoxicated driver,” stated Foster. “And to tug them over anticipating to odor the alcohol after I walked up there, and there was no intoxication in any respect.”

Foster says it doesn’t matter if it’s a police automotive, any time you see somebody on the aspect of the street, you have to transfer over.

“You will need to give that room as a result of, simply take into consideration this, anytime you see pink and blue lights, or amber lights, from first responders on the roadway, that usually means there’s somebody strolling on the roadway,” Foster stated.

His aim is to allow them to know their decisions may harm others and themselves.

“Actually, that is our final aim, is simply training,” Foster stated. “Be sure you’re protected, it is not essentially to tug you over to write down you a ticket or be the imply man, that is not what we’re making an attempt to do. We’re making an attempt to be sure to’re protected.”

The OHP Distracted Driving Marketing campaign ends on January thirty first.