LAW ORDERS TRACKING OF CAUSE OF COLLISIONS.Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Motorists have one hand on the wheel while driving on California highways and the other on cell phones, radios and even reading materials. A new state law going into effect this coming week will keep track of just what is distracting dis·tract tr.v. dis·tract·ed, dis·tract·ing, dis·tracts 1. To cause to turn away from the original focus of attention or interest; divert. 2. To pull in conflicting emotional directions; unsettle. California drivers and causing fatal and minor crashes. Assembly Bill 770 requires all traffic collision reports prepared by the California Highway Patrol highway patrol n. A state law enforcement organization whose police officers patrol the public highways. and allied agencies to include information as to whether a cellular telephone or other driver distraction or inattention in·at·ten·tion n. Lack of attention, notice, or regard. Noun 1. inattention - lack of attention basic cognitive process - cognitive processes involved in obtaining and storing knowledge was an associated factor in the collision. Agencies now collect the data voluntarily. ``Everyone is in such a rush these days and they are trying to do everything on the road,'' said Sgt. Lewis Hall of the Newhall CHP CHP Chapter CHP Combined Heat and Power CHP California Highway Patrol CHP Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Turkish: Republican People's Party) CHP Chemical Hygiene Plan (OSHA) CHP Community Health Plan , whose officers have seen motorists putting on makeup makeup In the performing arts, material used by actors for cosmetic purposes and to help create the characters they play. Not needed in Greek and Roman theatre because of the use of masks, makeup was used in the religious plays of medieval Europe, in which the angels' faces , shaving and eating breakfast while driving. The CHP conducted a preliminary study between January and June, discovering most people won't disclose the distraction or are distracted by other factors such as looking out a window. But of those who fessed up, most admitted they were talking on the phone. Officers found that 149 injury crashes and 192 property damage incidents occurred in those months because of cell phone use. Drivers distracted by a radio or CD player was next runner up. George Hartwell, a CHP spokesman, said the bill will help the law enforcement agency Noun 1. law enforcement agency - an agency responsible for insuring obedience to the laws FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation - a federal law enforcement agency that is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Justice determine what causes crashes and where to place enforcement emphasis. The study showed between 1985 and 2000, cell phone use statewide increased by 6.4 million calls, officials said. ``It will give us a good indication of where we ought to be to ensure that the highways are safe,'' Hartwell said. CAPTION(S): box Box: ONE HAND ON THE WHEEL SOURCE: California Highway Patrol |
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