Police Cracking Down On Distracted Driving In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — The Hamden Police Department, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office, will be participating in the U Drive. U Text. U Pay national high-visibility enforcement campaign for National Distracted Driving Awareness during the month of April.

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the campaign will step up enforcement efforts to enforce distracted-driving laws from April 1 to April 30, according to police.

There were nearly 5,000 crashes in Connecticut in 2020 attributed to distracted driving, according to police.

Connecticut law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. 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.

“The Hamden Police Department and Connecticut Department of Transportation urges motorists to put their phone down when they get behind the wheel,” Detective Sean J. Dolan wrote in a news release. “If someone needs to text, pull over and park the vehicle in a safe place first.”

Fines in Connecticut for violations begin at $200 for the first offense, $375 for the second offense, and $625 for the third and subsequent offenses.

For more information, visit distraction.gov.