Fines issued to Jalisco drivers caught using their cellphones at the wheel increased from 6,069 in 2021 to 7,102 in 2002.
This comes after two years of decline in 2019 and 2020—a decrease possibly caused by the pandemic.
The rise is despite steeper fines for this offense mandated by the state Congress in October 2022, to a maximum of 2,593 pesos ($US138).
Some reports suggest that as many as 40 percent of road accidents in the state are caused by drivers using their cellphones. The most common accident are rear-enders, which often occur when a driver glances at his or her phone for as briefly as a few seconds. (In the United States, it is estimated that at least 23 percent of all car accidents each year involve cell phone use—1.3 million crashes.)
Says the U.S. Department of Transportation: “Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.”
Road safety activists in Jalisco have urged state authorities to pay greater attention to the risks presented by motorbike riders, especially food delivery workers, who are constantly using their devices to locate and communicate with their customers.