The Norwalk Sheriff’s Department conducted a distracted driving operation at the intersection of Alondra Boulevard and Studebaker Road on Tuesday to bring awareness about cell phone usage while driving and enforce the law by handing out citations to offenders.

Sergeant Marc Burruss was one of two spotters for the 11 officers in marked and unmarked vehicles, ready to pounce on his queue.

“There’s a statewide effort right now to cut down on distracted driving,” Burruss said. “There’ve been a lot of accidents, we’ve seen an increase in accidents [from] people text messaging and talking on cell phones.”

Erik Tostado, economics major, said, “People have to be responsible of what they do while they’re driving. It feels good to know that they’re actually starting to do that now.”

Burruss said that earlier that morning, he observed a woman with a sandwich in one hand, texting with her other hand, turning right from Alondra Boulevard onto Studebaker Road using her knees.

“Basically, [people] are inattentive when they’re driving and they’re not paying attention. It’s causing people to get hurt,” Burruss said.

Cerritos College student Alexandria Vega said she went to eat with her father at Del Taco and when they were driving to Cerritos they saw the operation in motion.

“We were like, ‘Oh my God, look at all these people getting pulled over.’ We counted at least five,” Vega said.

“Obviously, that’s a good way to get them all. People text and drive all the time,” she added.

Although Cerritos College students often commute the intersection, Burruss said that the location of the operation was not specifically to crack down on students.

“We actually choose this intersection in this area based on the layout, so we can conduct traffic stops. Some of the other areas in the city have three lanes, so when you go to do a traffic stop you have to shut down the entire lane.

“What we were looking for was safety for our officers, actually,” Burruss said.

The operation was conducted from about 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sergeant Ralph Gama of the Norwalk Sheriff’s Department said that there is usually a command post at a shopping area.

Spotters dressed in street clothing call ahead for officers to make the traffic stop.

Gama also mentioned that on Oct. 5 they conducted an operation in La Mirada, handing out 179 tickets in one day, leading to around $150 in fines for each individual caught.

Vega admitted to using her cell phone while she drives.

“I’m not going to say I don’t do it, but I am guilty of doing it every once in a while.  I try my best not to do it cause it’s scary, especially when it’s raining outside.  It’s not safe because it does cause a lot of accidents,” Vega said.

Gama emphasized that they’re really trying to educate folks on safe driving.

“We want them all to be safe,” Gama said.