The Derby Police Department is among more than 50 police departments across the state participating in the latest distracted driving crackdown.
The campaign — scheduled for Aug. 3 through Aug. 16 — is done in conjunction with the state Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office.
Cops will be on the lookout for distracted drivers — specifically, motorists improperly using cell phones.
A similar crackdown in April showed an 8 percent drop in cell phone use by drivers in targeted spots, according to a press release from the state.
A “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign in Derby last September yielded 453 infractions in three weeks and almost $68,000 in fines for cell phone violations alone, according to Derby police.
The campaign is designed to remind drivers of the dangerous of using a cell phone to talk or text while driving, reinforce the fact it is illegal — and promote safe driving.
“We’re making gains,” said Derby Police Lt. Justin Stanko in a prepared statement. “Considering the seriousness of this problem and the fact that we saw movement in the right direction is a sign we need to continue to this program.”
The crackdown works by adding special patrols specifically aimed at catching distracted drivers.
The April campaign produced 16,000 tickets statewide.
The state Department of Transportation had announced in April that the results of recent research found an estimated 11.1 million of occurrences of distracted driving happen each day throughout Connecticut.
Almost 10 percent of those incidents are thought to be people using cell phone illegally in motor vehicles.
In 2013, 3,154 people were killed and an estimated additional 424,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
“Unfortunately, the fear of a getting a ticket is the only incentive for people to change their behavior,” Stanko said. “Everyone thinks they can do it, that a crash won’t happen to them. Unfortunately, we see it every day and it can and does happen”.
Under Connecticut’s cell phone and texting law, violations involve heavy fines, ranging from $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second violation, and $500 for each subsequent violation.
Connecticut remains the only state in the nation to receive special distracted driving prevention funds – the same funds that allow for special patrols to identify, stop and cite drivers who choose to ignore distracted driving laws.
More than $4.6 million dollars has been given to the state over the last two years specifically to fund campaigns like this.
