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April Is 'Distracted Driving Awareness Month'

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland State Police are cracking down on distracted drivers.

On average, nearly 27-thousand people are killed or injured as a result of distracted driving.

Last year state police issued more than 17,000 citations to dangerous drivers. Troopers say taking one's eyes off the road for even a second could cost a driver their life.

RELATED: AAA: Motorists Are Most Fearful Of Distracted Driving

"Cell phone use is an issue but distracted driving is far more than just cell phone use," said MSP spokesperson Ron Snyder. "That could be eating and drinking while driving. It could be grooming yourself while driving. It can be fiddling with the knobs on the panel while driving or watching a video while driving. So it's really an all encompassing issue out on Maryland roads."

Snyder says it's something the State Police who are looking into it this month especially, but they look at it every month out of the year.

Distracted drivers who cause serious injury or death in an accident could be sentenced to up to three years in prison.

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