Update: Rohnert Park Police Ticket 50 in Distracted Driving Crackdown

Rohnert Park police so far this month have issued 50 citations for driving and using cell phones — 43 for talking on the phone and seven for texting.

The crackdown on distracted driving is part of a statewide push by police to drive home the message that texting and driving don't go hand in hand. Rohnert Park police join more than 225 local agencies along with 103 California Highway Patrol area commands throughout California that are ramping up enforcement this month.

"Driving while talking on a cell phone is on the rise significantly — It's contributing to a lot of collisions,"said Sgt. Jason Krauss, of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety.

Krauss said after April, police will have the option to in decide who to ticket and who to let go with a warning.

"We're taking a zero-tolerance stance this month. It's about educating people," Krauss said. " This is something we will continue to do, but after this month officers will be using their discretion."

Police said the distracted driving awareness campaign is about changing the culture of cell phone, not just fining people.

"This is something that's been recognized nationally as a problem," Krauss added. "Statistics show drivers who use handheld devices are four times more likely to get into a crash."

In Rohnert Park, the dangers associated with cell phone use and driving are clear: of hundreds of residents and people throughout Sonoma County showed their support for Jeff and Ling Murray, whose by Dec. 1 by a Sonoma State student who was on her cell phone when she ran over Ling and the girl, Calli.  

CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said it's important to let people know that any distraction behind the wheel can be serious. 

"Texting, especially while driving, is not only illegal — it is just not a good idea," he said. "Most of these crashes can be prevented if the drivers change their behavior and focus on driving."

Petaluma police cited 131 people for cell phone use in the first week of April, and in Santa Rosa during the first five days of the crackdown, police issued 451 citations.

Fines start out at $159 per ticket, and jump to $279 for the next.