The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department will be cracking down on distracted driving in the county.

Sheriff’s deputies will be traveling the roadways looking for motorists who are texting and driving and performing other unsafe driving practices. It is all part of Distracted Driver Awareness Month, which begins April 1.

Sheriff Shaun Golden says that “texting and talking on a cellphone while driving is irresponsible and illegal. It takes the focus off of the roads and may have deadly consequences that otherwise could be avoided."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that distracted driving is such a problem that 3,477 people were killed in 2015 alone as a result of distracted driving crashes.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission says that fines for texting while driving could cost $200 to $400 for first-time offenses, and could result in a 90-day licenses suspension.

Law enforcement officers say that they will continue to be vigilant to stop distracted drivers even after Distracted Driver Awareness Month ends.