The City of Brighton Police Department is continuing its crackdown on distracted driving.

Distracted driving is the leading cause of crashes and near crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Distracted driving includes any activity that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind's focus away from driving your vehicle. Officials say distracted driving activities include texting, reading, watching a video, eating, using navigation, personal grooming and others. Texting and driving is said to be especially dangerous and is prohibited under Michigan State Law while operating a vehicle. The City asks that motorists stay alert while driving to keep everyone on the road safe.

Brighton Police aren’t concentrating on people who are talking on their cell phones, but focusing mainly on those who are texting while driving or scrolling through their e-mails, which Chief Rob Bradford has said an be equally distracting. The Distracted Driving program is being initially funded under the police department’s budget, but in 2018 will be managed through a federal Traffic Safety grant and will not cost the department any money. (JM)