From a press release Wednesday (March 20):

Gov. Neil Abercrombie today proclaimed the month of April “Distracted Driving Awareness Month” in Hawaii, thereby announcing a month-long distracted driving awareness campaign throughout the state. This is the first time that the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month effort.

Distracted driving is any non-driving activity in which a person engages while operating a motor vehicle. Such activities have the potential to distract the person from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing. …

In April, HDOT will launch a statewide media campaign to raise awareness about distracted driving. …

In addition to HDOT’s media campaign efforts, the county police departments will continue to enforce Hawaii’s existing county ordinances prohibiting the use of mobile electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, which makes it illegal for drivers to text or engage in other hand-held uses of mobile electronic devices such as cell phones, mp3 players, personal digital assistants and navigation devices.

—Chad Blair