Police Department receives grant to target distracted drivers

The+Wayland+Police+Department+received+a+grant+targeting+distracted+drivers.+%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+just+to+put+some+extra+cars+on+the+road+specifically+to+look+for+distracted+drivers%2C%E2%80%9D+Lieutenant+Swanick+of+the+Wayland+Police+Department+said.

Credit: Flickr user: Lord Jim

The Wayland Police Department received a grant targeting distracted drivers. “It’s just to put some extra cars on the road specifically to look for distracted drivers,” Lieutenant Swanick of the Wayland Police Department said.

Naomi Lathan

The Wayland Police Department has received a 2,500 dollar grant in order to target distracted drivers, but there will be no major changes in the way traffic regulations are enforced.

The Massachusetts Highway Safety division is beginning traffic safety initiatives, some of which involve preventing distracted driving. Wayland has received money to target distracted driving in general.

“It’s just to put some extra cars on the road specifically to look for distracted drivers,” Lieutenant Swanick of the Wayland Police Department said.

Despite this addition to the department, the police are not making any major changes. They will continue normal traffic enforcement.

According to Swanick, the goal for the police is voluntary compliance with the laws that are already in place. Swanick believes that distracted driving, specifically cell phone use while driving, is a problem that needs to be solved.

There are no recent changes to any laws in Massachusetts surrounding distracted driving, but Lieutenant Swanwick believes that laws allowing only hands free devices could be forthcoming. Recently, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill for hands-free driving.