59 Drivers Cited In Berlin For Phone Use During April Campaign

BERLIN, CT — Berlin police cited 55 drivers for unlawful phone use in April, officials announced today.

Throughout April — which is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Distracted Driving Awareness month — Berlin officers conducted spot-checks designed to find distracted drivers as part of the U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign.

They cited 29 drivers for cellphone talking offenses, 26 drivers for texting offenses, and four drivers for other motor vehicle violations, officers said.

Berlin police partnered with the state Department of Transportation to conduct the initiative, and its goal was to "educate motorists and reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes and injuries that involve distracted drivers," officers said in a news release.

"The Berlin Police and the Connecticut Department of Transportation urge you to put your phone down when you get behind the wheel," the news release reads. "If you need to text, pull over and park your vehicle in a safe place first."