City officials are asking the Medford Police to crack down on texting while driving.

At its April 19 meeting, the Medford City Council passed a resolution by Councilor Rick Caraviello requesting the Medford Police Department increase patrols for distracted drivers.

Caraviello said police in many area communities, such as Milton and Middleborough, have stepped up enforcement in recent weeks and months.

“They’re doing distracted driving stops where they have officers pulling over people that are texting on their phones,” said Caraviello, who runs a coach and limousine business. “I’m on the road all day, and I see it constantly, people not paying attention. And it’s only a matter of time before someone gets run over.”

According to www.distraction.gov, the U.S. government’s website for distracted driving, 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2014.

The website defines distracted driving as any activity that could divert a person’s attention from the primary task of driving, such as texting, eating/drinking, grooming or watching a video.

According to a study commissioned by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, five seconds is the average time a driver’s eyes are off the road while texting. Traveling at 55 mph, that is enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.

“A major reason for most of the accidents that happen now is people not paying attention,” Caraviello said while advocating for distracted driving stops. “I think it’s something we should look into.”

The National Safety Council designates April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Use the hashtag #TakeBackYourDrive to join NSC’s conversation about distracted driving on Facebook and Twitter.

Other facts about distracted driving:

At any given daylight moment in the U.S., about 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).The number of drivers who own smartphones is increasing, up from 52 percent in 2011 to 80 percent in 2014. The biggest increase in smartphone ownership is among adults 40 and older (State Farm).One of out ever four motor vehicle crashes involves a cell phone (National Safety Council).Each day in the U.S., eight people are killed and 1,161 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver (Center for Disease Control and Prevention).