Texting while driving has become a bigger problem over the years and Minnesota law enforcement is taking notice.

For the rest of this week (through April 20th), nearly 400 Minnesota agencies have added extra patrols to catch those who text and drive.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there have been over 86,000 crashes attributed to distracted driving over the last four years. On average, distracted driving leads to 60 deaths and 8,000 injuries every year. DPS Office of Traffic Safety Director Donna Burger says drivers can't multitask while on the road.

"It's a myth to think we can multitask behind the wheel, the reality is distractions take our attention away from the important task of driving," Burger says.

It is illegal in Minnesota for drivers to read or create text messages while driving. Minnesota's no texting law was put into place in August of 2008 and citations have increased every single year:

  • 2009 - 388
  • 2010 - 847
  • 2011 - 1,270
  • 2012 - 1,718
  • 2013 - 2,189

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