Law enforcement officers will be out once again searching for not only unbuckled drivers but distracted drivers as part of the annual “Click it or Ticket” patrols.

The recent distracted driving campaign between April 10 – 15, netted 836 cell phone and texting violations. And, in just a few weeks, the extra enforcement effort will begin again.

Some 4,000 motorist are cited for cell phone use while driving per month.

After the seat belt law took effect in June 2002 seat belt violations jumped and then the seat belt use rate increased. This model of high visibility enforcement has proven to change behaviors and is now being applied to distracted driving. Texting and cell phone usage is aggravating to so many motorists and it remains a growing public health and traffic safety issue.

That is why between May 19 and June 1, motorists in King County can expect to see extra seat belt AND distracted driving patrols.

Last year, during this same time period, officers on extra patrols statewide issued 2,963 seat belt violations amongst the 11,666 motorists who were stopped. At the same time, 1,897 cell phone and texting violations were written.

In King County, the Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Burien, Covington, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Port of Seattle, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tukwila and Woodinville Police Departments as well as the Washington State Patrol will be participating in these extra patrols, with the support of the King County Target Zero Task Force.

For more, visit

www.targetzero.com.