BELLA VISTA, Ark. — The Bella Vista Police Department (BVPD) is conducting extra patrol for those not paying attention while behind the wheel.
Starting Monday, April 4, BVPD will be patrolling the streets to lessen the chance of distracted driving.
BVPD says distracted driving doesn’t just mean texting while driving, but also includes checking social media, talking on the phone, changing radio stations, eating, chatting with your passengers, and more. Police say these things can lead to serious situations for you or someone else in your path.
"Distracted driving puts not only you but other drivers in danger. It takes only seconds not to see a child in the roadway, a car stopped in front of you, or any other situation that can lead to a crash," BVPD said.
In Arkansas, the use of a hand-held cell phone for texting, typing, emailing, or accessing the internet is against the law, regardless of the driver’s age. It is a primary offense and this means any law enforcement officer can pull you over for observing this violation.
The BVPD says it can wait and to think twice before checking that text message, to ensure you and those on the road with you make it safely home.
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