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Hands Down: Glendale Police Bust Cell Phone Talking Drivers
A crack-down on the epidemic of distracted driving in Glendale has led to "more than 60 drivers busted for using hand-held phones while behind the wheel," notes the Glendale News-Press.
On Saturday officers blew the whistle, literally, on vehicles exiting the Ventura (134) Freeway on the South Glendale Avenue off-ramp. Motorists spotted chatting on their hand-held cellphones were directed to pull over, and issued with a ticket.
Reportedly, most motorists put down their phones immediately when they saw the officer, but by then, the lead officer had already radioed a description of the violating vehicle to another officer who "walked out into the busy street, blew his whistle and signaled the driver to the curb," reports the Glendale News-Press.
$145 citations were issued to 66 drivers. Another eight motorists were cited for texting while driving, and five others received tickets for road violations and speeding. Funding for the operation came through a $254,795 state grant aimed to decrease distracted driving.