Fresno Police Department is reminding motorists to stay focused behind the wheel as April marks National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The department said officers will be actively looking throughout the month for drivers violating California’s hands-free cell phone law in Fresno.

According to the 2025 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 71.4% of drivers surveyed said distracted driving caused by texting or checking a phone was their biggest safety concern. In 2023, 158 people were killed in distracted-driving crashes in California, a 6.8% increase from the previous year.

Under state law, drivers are prohibited from holding a phone or other electronic device while operating a vehicle, including while stopped at a red light. The law applies to talking, texting or using an app. A second hands-free violation within 36 months of a previous conviction can add a point to a driver’s record.

Police urged drivers to silence and put away their phones, set GPS directions and adjust vehicle controls before driving, keep both hands on the wheel, and pull over safely if they need to respond to an urgent matter.

Funding for distracted-driving enforcement is provided through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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