Norwalk Police Cracking Down On Distracted Driving For April

Norwalk CT

30 March, 2022

4:58 PM

Description

NORWALK, CT — The Norwalk Police Department, along with the Connecticut Department of Transportation's (DOT) Highway Safety Office will be launching the "U DRIVE. U TEXT. U PAY." campaign, beginning April 1, to kick off the National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. According to a news release provided by police, officers will be cracking down on motorists who text, talk or distract themselves with a hand-held mobile phone while driving. In Connecticut in 2020, there were nearly 5,000 crashes attributed to distracted driving, according to police. "Even though drivers realize how dangerous it is to use a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle, they do not not change their behavior," Deputy Police Chief James Walsh said in a news release. "It is common to see persons behind the wheel looking down at their phones. Every person on our city streets including children walking to school, cyclists and our community at large, is at increased risk." Beginning April 1, the community will see an increased and highly visible law enforcement presence on Norwalk streets with a focus on safety. Officers will be stopping and ticketing anyone who is endangering the public due to texting while driving, police said. Funding for this campaign is provided by the Connecticut DOT in partnership with U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Connecticut law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle, according to police. Drivers who are 16 or 17 years of age are prohibited from using a cell phone or mobile device at any time, even with a hands-free accessory. "Violating Connecticut's distracted-driving laws is costly," the release reads. "Drivers who are ticketed are fined $200 for the first offense, $375 for the second offense and $625 for the third and subsequent offenses. The Connecticut Department of Transportation urges motorists to put their phone down when they get behind the wheel. If someone needs to text, pull over and park the vehicle in a safe place first." Further information can be found at distraction.gov.