By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

Governor Bruce Rauner has declared April 24-28 Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness week, in conjunction with the nation observing the same for the entire month of April.

Pontiac Police Chief Jim Woolford said his department will be strictly enforcing this.

“Pontiac Police Department is pretty serious about distracted driving, because we already know most traffic crashes involve speed, distracted driving and alcohol. We have to stay vigilant on enforcing all of them. For the next coming months, you’ll see specific patrols that are designed to directly target distracted driving, use of cell phones and electronic devices by drivers, speed regulation, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol,” Woolford said.

Pontiac Police is joining the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police in working to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries resulting from distracted driving.