US state targets drivers with $675 fines for everyday mistake after 'concerning' rise in crashes – crackdown starts now | 9Q99B68 | 2024-04-25 12:08:01
POLICE are warning drivers of increased efforts to curb distracted driving after disturbing data showed more fatalities on the road.
A new report shows that reckless and distracted driving has increased traffic-related deaths by over 20 percent in Connecticut.
Connecticut State Police and over 30 municipal departments are targeting drivers with phones in their hands as part of a statewide crackdown.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, aiming to bring awareness to the impact using a mobile phone while driving can have on individuals and families.
Connecticut has its initiative to curb distracted driving called the Put the Phone Away or Pay campaign, which is a heightened effort by officers to stop and cite distracted drivers.
The campaign is effective from April 1 to April 30, 2024.
"We urge all drivers to prioritize safety by keeping their focus on the road and not on their phones. Every moment behind the wheel demands our full attention," said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garret Eucalitto in a press release.
"This enforcement effort aims to remind everyone that distracted driving is illegal, dangerous, and deadly."
All month long, drivers stopped for distracted driving will be cited $200 for the first offense, $375 for the second offense, and $625 for the third offense.
Samaia Hernandez, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT), said that the Constitution State is experiencing a "deeply concerning" spike in deaths caused by bad driving habits.
"From the beginning of the year to April 16, there have been 92 people killed on our roads in Connecticut," Hernandez told the Hartford Courant.
"That's almost 12% more than this time last year."
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), 3,308 people were killed and nearly 300,000 were injured by distracted drivers.
Nine of those fatalities occurred in Connecticut as reported by state data, and 5,301 crashes happened because of distracted driving.
"There's a serious reckless driving issue on our roads," she said.
More data showed that driver and passenger deaths were up 24 percent in the state compared to last year, while pedestrian deaths increased by 26 percent, and motorcycle fatalities by 53 percent.
Hernandez wants drivers to realize there is more at stake than a delayed reply to a text message or a missed call.
"It's not just someone getting killed, it's someone's family being impacted, it's someone's community being impacted," she said.
<!--googleoff: all--> <blockquote class="article__quote"> </blockquote> <!--googleon: all--> "These are lives lost that shouldn't be lost, so that's why we are focused on campaigns like this."
Sgt. Luke Davis of the Connecticut State Police said that looking at a screen instead of the road for even two seconds can change someone else's life forever.
Most importantly, he stressed, that a call or text can wait.
"It's really selfish behavior that is causing these things to happen," he said.
"Drivers are caught up in doing their own thing and forgetting about the importance of the responsibility that they have behind the wheel.
"We see the trends ebb and flow, but it is a consistent, systemic issue and troopers that are out on the road are working very hard to try and curb that behavior."
As of April 21, Davis and his team have issued 243 citations and 54 warnings to Connecticut drivers.
<p class="article__content--intro"> Distracted driving claims lives every year nationwide, and it's 100% preventable </p> </div> </div> However, Davis also notes that distracted driving isn't just using a mobile phone while driving.
Officers look for people rummaging through personal items, fumbling with stereos or infotainment systems, doing makeup, or anything else that would divert attention from their surroundings.
"The kinds of things that they see people doing behind the wheel, one would not even begin to fathom," he said.
For many current smartphones, there's a "Driving Mode" or "Do Not Disturb" mode that temporarily mutes all incoming texts or calls to avoid driving distracted.
In "Driving Mode," a text message will be sent automatically to those who send a text to let the other person know their recipient is driving and will reply shortly.
However, a second call will be pushed through if a call is urgent.
When taking a call, if you cannot take the call hands-free through a car's Bluetooth system, pull over and park.
More >> https://ift.tt/y2FHzkA Source: MAG NEWS