Metro Law Enforcement Cracking Down On Texting While Driving

Law enforcement across the metro is stepping up enforcement, hoping to keep us from using our phones while driving. 

It's in honor of a trooper who died in a crash caused by someone texting while driving. 

According to Oklahoma Highway Safety, in 2020 43 people were killed due to distracted driving, five of those tragedies were in Oklahoma County. 

In 2015, it became illegal to text and drive. The law said it is unlawful to use a hand-held electronic communication device to manually compose, send or read an electronic text message while the motor vehicle is in motion. 

This law went into effect following a deadly crash that killed Oklahoma Highway Trooper Nicholas Dees and severely injured Trooper Keith Burch. 

“It's really near and dear to our heart because trooper nick dees was killed specifically by a driver that was updated social media immediately prior to the crash he was in,” Trooper Eric Foster said. 

The driver responsible for the crash, Steven Clark, spent five years in prison. Clark told a court during his case he habitually texted while driving. 

“Just think about taking your eyes off the road for just a second and then something happening in front of you. It only takes one time for it to cause a serious injury accident to you to someone else and a lot of times people don't think about that,” Trooper Foster said. 

More than 30 law enforcement agencies will be participating in enhanced patrols. Saturation patrols will continue for the rest of the month.