La Grange Police Launch Summer Distracted Driving Crackdown

We’ve all been guilty of doing something in the car that takes our full attention from the road—whether it’s munching on a sandwich, putting on makeup or scrolling through an email.

The La Grange Police Department is running a special campaign this summer to combat these behaviors that have become scarily common behind the wheel.

A task force of officers in unmarked cars will specifically look for distracted drivers throughout the next several months, Police Chief Michael Holub said. The officers will work in pairs—a spotter and a driver—so they won’t be driving distracted themselves.

Texting while driving is illegal throughout Illinois, while talking on a cell phone is against the law in school and highway construction zones. A bill banning the use of cell phones without a hands-free device passed the Illinois House in March and is scheduled for a third reading Wednesday before the Illinois Senate.

People use all sorts of tactics to evade police, Holub said. A man recently threw his cell phone to the ground after he saw Holub, who was driving an unmarked car, in his police uniform.

And if you think you’ll be able to fool the police by using speakerphone in a school zone while holding the device, Holub said not so fast.

“A woman said, ‘Well, I didn’t have it to my ear,’” he said. “Here’s the clue: You’re holding it in your hand.”

The campaign could start as soon as next week after the Judicial Advisory Council of Cook County approved the department’s proposal Monday, Holub said. The department is using stimulus money from the Department of Justice to pay for the extra patrols.

Related: A Western Springs mom writes about how both of her sons have been hit by drivers who were backing out of their driveways.

Western Springs police nabbed 25 distracted drivers in April during a weeklong effort.