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Police hope ‘Operation Ghost Rider’ will reduce phone use during driving

Anthony

Police call it “Operation Ghost Rider.”

Unmarked cars containing a law enforcement passenger will cruise roads examining whether drivers in nearby vehicles are focusing on their phones.

When they find such a driver the un-marked “ghost” car will radio in to a patrol vehicle…which then pulls the driver over in a traffic stop.

Michigan’s distracted driver law calls for an initial one-hundred dollar fine – two-hundred dollars for repeat offenders.

Officials say in a statement that on average a driver takes about five seconds to send or look at a text – enough time for a vehicle to travel the length of a football field at highway speeds.

That can lead to accidents that officials say are completely preventable.

Quinn Klinefelter is a host and Senior News Editor for 101.9 WDET, anchoring midday newscasts and preparing reports for WDET, NPR and the BBC.