New Canaan PD to Begin Distracted Driving Campaign

NEW CANAAN, CT- Data recently collected by police in town shows that 93.5 percent of motorists driving through New Canaan wear seat belts.

The state average is 85.4 percent and New Canaan's rate was 92 percent before police did a compliance campaign from May 23 to June 5.

The next target for police is distracted driving, said Chief Leon Krolikowski.

"Distracted driving is the most significant threat to traffic safety we have seen in many years," he said. "Our Department will crack down on motorists who text or use a hand-held cellphone while driving."

The campaign will be highly visible.

Some facts from police:

• In 2014, 3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
• Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
• Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.
• At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.
•  Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use.

CONNECTICUT  LAW:

• The use of a handheld cellular telephone or other electronic device is banned for all drivers.
• The use (handheld and hands-free) of a cellular telephone or other electronic device while driving is banned for novice* drivers.
• Texting while driving is banned for all drivers. 
• Fines are $150 for the first offense, $300 for the second offense, and $500 for a third or subsequent offense.

*Connecticut defines novice drivers as those under the age of 18 or with a learner's permit.