Huntington Beach police give drivers 620 tickets for cellphone use during Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Huntington Beach police said they handed out 620 tickets to people illegally using or handling cellphones while driving in April, Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

In April last year, Huntington police issued 609 such tickets.

Under California law, drivers may not use cellphones for texting or calling unless they have a hands-free system. Phones must be mounted on a dashboard, windshield or center console. Drivers are allowed only to swipe or tap to activate or turn off a function.

If a call or text is urgent, Huntington Beach police advise drivers to pull over and park in a safe spot. To overcome the temptation to use a phone, drivers should consider putting it out of reach such as in the back seat or trunk, police say.

Daily Pilot staff contributed to this report.