Clovis PD gives crash course on texting and driving

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Texting and driving is not only illegal, it can sometimes be fatal. To drive home that message, Clovis police officers are stopping by local high schools with an awareness campaign.

Buchanan High School students got behind the wheel for a crash course on texting and driving. And there's seemed to be more crashing, than many of them expected.

Courtney Garcia said, "He kept turning the music up and my friends were yelling at me in the backseat and he was telling me, we were late for school and it was really hard to concentrate on doing both."

The Clovis Police Department put on the simulation to help curb cell-phone related crashes among teenagers. Traffic officers even got involved, sitting in the passenger seat, as teens attempted to drive and text at the same time.

Junior Zoe Duerksen knows distracted driving is no laughing matter. He said, "it kind of hit home for me with the texting and driving with just like family members, they have gotten in a crash with texting and it's just a scary thing."

The Clovis Police Department says teens often think that they are immune from the dangers behind the wheel.

Traffic Officer John Weaver said, "The fatality rate for texting and driving especially for teens is on the rise right now and that's the reason why we are doing this. I personally don't want to go to any more fatals involving teenagers and texting and driving."

Clovis police officers say the time they spend here really helps send home the message that texting and driving do not mix. Officers say they plan to visit other high schools in the days to come.

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