Statewide Campaign Aims To Curb Distracted Driving

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Four-hundred law enforcement officers around the state will be looking extra hard for drivers who are texting starting Thursday.

Every year, distracted driving is a factor in a quarter of all crashes in this state. In Minnesota, it's illegal to text, email or surf the web while driving, even if you are at a stop light.

On Tuesday, some teenagers in Roseville helped kick off this week's statewide enforcement and education campaign.

One student, Samantha Nielsen, talked about what happened when she came up to a crosswalk while running last summer.

"She was on her phone texting and didn't see the car in front had stopped. That car almost hit me. A very scary experience," said Nielsen.

It's also illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to even talk on a cell phone while driving in Minnesota.