Connecticut zeroing in on distracted driving violators this month

October 19, 2023

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Connecticut officials are stepping up distracted driving enforcement through the end of October.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office as well as state and local law enforcement announced in a news release increased enforcement of the state’s distracted driving laws.

Current Connecticut distracted driving law prohibits the use of any handheld mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers ages 16-17 are prohibited from using any cell phone or mobile device even in hands-free mode.

“Everyone should understand the incredible risk of texting while driving,” said Garrett Eucalitto, Connecticut Department of Transportation commissioner. “Taking your eyes off the road for a moment is all it takes to cause a crash and change lives forever.”

Law enforcement will be highly visible during this period, stopping any driver with a phone in hand and issuing a ticket, Eucalitto said.

Ticketed drivers will receive a $200 fine for the first offense. A second offense will result in a $375 fine, while third and subsequent offenses will incur a $625 fine.

Remove the temptation to sneak a peek! Turn on the Do Not Disturb feature on your cell phone to turn off notifications while you’re driving. Stay safe – always #JustDrive. #FocusOn #DNDWD23 pic.twitter.com/C4MMZKm75o

— nhtsagov (@NHTSAgov) October 19, 2023

In the news release, the Connecticut DOT cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics showing distracted driving claimed 3,522 lives in 2021. Officials said 5,200 crashes attributed to distracted driving occurred in the state in 2022. And approximately 660,000 drivers are using or manipulating an electronic device while driving at any given moment across America, the release also noted.

To avoid distracted-driving-related injuries and fatalities, the Connecticut DOT recommended:

Turning off electronic devices and storing them out of reach
Speaking up when a driver uses an electronic device behind the wheel and offering to make the call instead
Always wearing a seat belt
Being alert and sharing the road with others

“Remember, no text or call is worth a life,” Eucalitto said. “When you’re behind the wheel, stay focused on the road in front of you and not your phone.”

Distracted driving survey

A survey by Compare the Market, released in August, said that four in five Americans have been in a car crash where distracted driving was a factor.

Within those results were phones, which were responsible for 27% of distractions in this particular survey.

“Our research has emphasized the sheer number of potential distractions to drivers; however, it has also been pointed out that despite the well-known hazards of actions like texting while driving, some drivers continue to engage in them,” Adrian Taylor, general manager of general insurance for Compare the Market, said in a statement. LL