Darien Police Launch Distracted Driving Enforcement Effort In August

DARIEN, CT — In August, the Darien Police Department will launch a "Distracted Driving High Visibility Enforcement" campaign in conjunction with state and other local law enforcement agencies.

The initiative calls for additional officer patrols throughout town "at various times that are specifically tasked with identifying and citing people observed using their phone while driving or any other distracted driving offense."

Darien police units assigned to this detail may use hidden or unmarked "spotters" to identify violations.

"This means that once you see a marked police car, it may be too late," wrote Darien police in a statement.

From a department release:

This state level program is part of the larger effort spearheaded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The national program is aimed at reducing the amount of traffic related injuries and deaths attributed to operators using handheld devices while driving. According to NHTSA in 2015, approximately 3,477 people were killed, and 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in the US. They further say that at any given time in the US during daylight hours, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving.

The State of Connecticut Department of Transportation describes distracted driving as “any non-driving activity a person engages in while operating a motor vehicle.”

The Darien Police Department wishes to remind motorists that while driving, the safe operation of the vehicle is your #1 priority. Things that take your attention away from driving can have serious, even fatal, consequences for passengers in your vehicle as well as other motorists on the road around you. The Department wishes to remind our newer drivers that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to use a cell phone, including hands-free devices, at any time while driving.

Applicable CT Statutes:

CGS 14-296aa(b): Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Using a Hand Held Telephone or Mobile Electronic Device

$150- first offense

$300- second offense

$500- third offense

CGS 14-296aa(d): Operation of a Motor Vehicle By a Person Under 18 Years of Age While Using a Hand Held Telephone or Mobile Electronic Device

$150- first offense

$300- second offense

$500- third offense

CGS 14-296aa(f): Distracted Driving While Not Using a Hand-Held Or Hands Free Mobile Telephone

$150- first offense

$300- second offense

$500- third offense

(Editor's Note: Patch is re-posting this story in case you missed it the first time around.)