Police Cracking Down On Distracted Driving In New Canaan

NEW CANAAN, CT — New Canaan police, in partnership with state and local law enforcement and the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will participate in the "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." campaign throughout the month of April.

According to Police Lt. Marc DeFelice, New Canaan police will be conducting enforcement in support of this initiative, which runs from April 1 through April 30.

In a news release posted to Facebook, New Canaan police said distracted driving crashes are preventable as driving should be a person's number one priority behind the wheel.

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, according to New Canaan police.

Drivers who violate Connecticut's distracted-driving laws are fined $200 for the first offense, $375 for the second offense and $625 for the third and subsequent offense, according to New Canaan police.

"New Canaan Police Department urges motorists to put their phone down when they get behind the wheel," police said on Facebook. "If you must send or receive a text, pull over to a safe location and park your car first. If you have passengers, appoint a 'designated texter' to handle all your texting. Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving. Cell phone use is habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone's 'Do Not Disturb' feature or put your phone in the trunk, glove box or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination."

More information is available here.