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Salinas police outline hands‑free enforcement after Office of Traffic Safety grant
Summary
Salinas Police announced a hands‑free enforcement and education program funded by a California Office of Traffic Safety grant, citing a rise in vehicle‑vs‑pedestrian crashes and clarifying the state’s hands‑free limits for drivers and occupational device use.
The Salinas Police Department said it has received a traffic‑safety grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to support outreach, training and enforcement aimed at unsafe driving behaviors.
“Part of the OTS grant was this specifically because of the new law change,” Sergeant Stack Dunnegan of the Salinas Police Department said, describing the grant as funding both education and enforcement. Dunnegan told the briefing the grants are a portion of the department’s traffic and pedestrian safety work.
Dunnegan explained the recent hands‑free law change and how officers will interpret it. “What a lot of people don't understand about the new law is, it is now illegal to hold your cell phone in your hand, period, while you're driving a vehicle,” he said, adding that a mounted device is allowed a single swipe or tap for navigation or limited use. He emphasized that multiple interactions, using apps from a mount, or handling a phone while stopped at a red light remain unlawful.
The sergeant said the department sees distracted driving as a major contributor to crashes and framed pedestrian safety as a shared responsibility. He cited local figures: “Last year in 2025, we had 80 vehicle versus pedestrian accidents. 6 of those were fatal,” and pointed out that those fatal collisions were comparable in number to the city's homicides in recent years.
Dunnegan also urged drivers to adjust for rainy conditions and follow long‑standing safety rules: slow down, use headlights when windshield wipers are on, and avoid speed‑related risks. He offered practical tips for new drivers—use turn signals, wear seat belts, and practice courteous driving—as ways to build safer habits.
The Salinas Police Department said some enforcement and weekend DUI checkpoints are funded through related OTS grants; the department framed the grant as part of a broader traffic‑safety strategy combining public education and targeted enforcement.
The briefing did not cite a specific statute by name or provide the precise grant award amount. The department encouraged residents to follow posted guidance and said more outreach is planned as enforcement operations continue.
