You never know who’s sitting in the car next to you in traffic as you chat away or speed text the latest gossip on your cell phone.

That’s what organizers of “Operation Ghost Rider” are counting on.

Operation Ghost Rider uses unmarked spotter vehicles, which contain a law enforcement passenger. When the spotters observe a distracted driver, they radio a fully marked law enforcement unit to initiate a traffic stop.

Starting Monday, state, county, and local agencies will begin conducting Ghost Rider with the goal of reducing distracted driving deaths and injuries. The initiative is coordinated by the National Transportation Safety Organization (NTSO)

“Every time a driver chooses to look at their phone or engage in any distraction, they’re putting lives at risk,” Jim Santilli, CEO of NTSO, said in a news release.

According to Santilli, 40,000 people were killed in 2023 and an estimated 2.44 million injured in traffic crashes across the United States.

As National Distracted Driving Awareness Month concludes, Michigan officials are reinforcing a vital message to motorists to stay focused behind the wheel in order to save lives.

Participating agencies include the Michigan State Police, Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, and police from Auburn Hills, Chesterfield Township, Clinton Township, Shelby Township, Sterling Heights, Taylor, Troy, Utica.

Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near crashes, said F/Lt. Mike Shaw, of the Michigan State Police.

“Distracted drivers are a threat to themselves, their passengers, and anyone else on the road to include pedestrians and bicyclists,” Shaw said.

According to the NTSO, Michigan saw 15,136 distracted driving crashes in 2023, which led to 59 deaths and 5,889 injuries. Over a third of these crashes happened at intersections, and nearly 20% involved a lane departure.

The five counties with the highest number of distracted driving crashes were Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Kent, and Washtenaw.

Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation highlights the risk: drivers using a handheld device are four times more likely to be involved in an injury-causing crash, and texting increases crash risk by 23 times.

“Studies reveal that sending or reading a text diverts your eyes from the road for approximately 4.6 of every 6 seconds,” Santilli said. “At 55 miles per hour, that’s equivalent to driving the entire length of a football field while blindfolded.”

In 2023, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a bill making it illegal to hold or manually use a cell phone or other mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle on Michigan roads. This includes situations where a vehicle is stopped at a light or in traffic but does not apply when the vehicle is legally parked.

Under the law, drivers cannot hold or support a device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders. Even if a device is mounted on the dashboard or connected to the vehicle’s built-in system, drivers are prohibited from using their hands to operate it beyond a single touch.

Penalties for violations include: a $100 fine and/or 16 hours of community service for a first offense; a $250 fine and/or 24 hours of community service for second or subsequent violations; and a mandatory driving improvement course for three violations within a three-year period.

Additionally, fines are doubled if a traffic crash occurs and the at-fault driver was found to be holding or manually using a mobile device while operating the vehicle.

The Ghost Rider campaign is funded by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP).