Put Down The Phone: Woodbridge Cops On Lookout For Distracted Drivers

WOODBRIDGE, CT —Beginning Saturday through the end of the month, the Woodbridge Police Department will be taking part in a statewide initiative to combat distracted driving. Police will be concentrating enforcement efforts on distracted driving in an attempt to increase awareness and continue to protect the motoring public, according to Woodbridge police Sergeant A.J. Cappiello.

Over the past decade, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes
on our nation’s roads, it's noted. At any given moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady for more than a decade.

In Connecticut in 2021, there were nearly 5,400 crashes attributed to distracted driving.

State law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile electronic device while driving any motor vehicle. And drivers who are 16 or 17 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 can be costly.

Ticketed drivers are fined $200 for the first offense, $375 for the second offense, and $625 for the third and subsequent offenses.

The Woodbridge Police Department suggest the following safety tips:

• If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.
• Ask your passenger to be your "designated texter." Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.
• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.
• Cell phone use is habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone's"Do Not Disturb" feature, or put your phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.

The Woodbridge Police Department, along with the State of Connecticut’s Department of Transportation, urge you to put your phone down when you get behind the wheel.

For more information, visit nhtsa.gov.