Heads up, motorists – the Naperville Police are on the lookout this April for anyone who's texting behind the wheel. They're joining forces with the Illinois Department of Transportation and over 200 local law enforcement agencies in a crackdown on distracted driving. Expect to see increased patrols during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, all part of a statewide push to drop those crash stats and save lives.

Sgt. Derek Zook of the Naperville Police laid it on the line: "Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle crashes on our roads today." He warned that cops will to actively stop and penalize distracted drivers. According to a Naperville press release, Zook affirmed, "We do this to save lives." And the stats back up the concern – in less than a decade, distracted drivers played a key role in the loss of roughly 32,000 lives.

Young drivers, those aged 16 to 24, are particularly prone to taking their eyes off the road to read or bash out a text. Naperville's message is clear – if your fingers are itching to text, make a point to pull over safely, or better yet, pass your phone to a friend with a solid grip on self-restraint to be your "designated texter." Bottom line: keep your eyes up and hands on the wheel.

The push against distracted driving doesn't come out of the local budget; it's bankrolled by federal traffic safety dollars, funneled through IDOT. Drive smart, or expect to fork over cash. Either way, Illinois is determined to make its roads safer, one ticket at a time.