DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — If you've ever been pulled over and wondered how did the police see me, it might be because there is an officer in plain clothing on the side of the road looking for distracted drivers.
It might be a good idea to be mindful when driving through Dearborn because you might encounter just this.
VIDEO: Undercover traffic stops causing controversy in Dearborn
Over 15,000 car crashes were the direct result of distracted driving, according to the Michigan state department. The Dearborn Police Department says they are actively working to drive down that number, so I spent the day with them to see exactly how they plan to combat it.
This distracted driving initiative is all thanks to the Michigan distracted driving law and the state's efforts to drive down the rates of incidents. The law was enacted after the number of distracted driving incidents steadily rose year after year, leaving thousands injured or worse.
“Because all it takes is a second,” one officer said, speaking to a person pulled over after being cited for texting and driving.
While this new initiative may be controversial, it certainly is effective. If you don't want to run the risk of a ticket and your car is in drive, don't even think about touching your phone.
According to Michigan law, you cannot hold your phone, even if you are stopped at a red light. If your car is in drive, your phone must be down. The only exception is to perform a single tap or swipe to answer a call on a hands-free device.
“As long as you’re in the car, don’t use your phone,” the officer said.
