Police Crack Down on Distracted Driving in West Hartford this Month

WEST HARTFORD, CT - The West Hartford Police Department will begin its 2017 campaign against distracted driving on April 4.

The campaign will run until April 30, as well as from August 3-16, according to a release. This campaign is made possible with a grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.

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The project is part of the “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign. This effort will enforce Connecticut’s law that prohibits drivers from using cell phones or mobile electronic devices while driving.

The grant will fund patrols that are dedicated to the enforcement of the distracted driving laws. There will be up to eight extra officers per day patrolling in both marked and unmarked vehicles.

The enforcement details will be deployed around the main thoroughfares in West Hartford including Park Road, New Britain Avenue, Farmington Avenue, North Main Street and Albany Avenue. Details will also be deployed around school zones, construction zones and neighborhoods where officers observe any distracted driving.

“Our goal will not only be to ticket motorists who disobey Connecticut statutes," West Hartford Police Traffic Officer Kyle Christain said in a release. "We also hope to save lives by changing people’s behavior and deterring this dangerous habit.”

Patrols in 2016 resulted in over 1000 motor vehicle infractions being issued for distracted driving violations. Under Connecticut’s cell phone and texting law, violations involve fines ranging from $150 for a first offense to $300 for a second violation and $500 for subsequent violations.

Images via Shutterstock.