Every day in Connecticut there are 11.1 million instances of distracted driving.
According to the state Department of Transportation in a new report on April 21, just under 10 percent of drivers are texting or using a hand held cell phone while driving, putting both their life at risk and those of others as well.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, distracted driving is a factor in nearly six out of 10 accidents by teen drivers which were classified as moderate to severe. In 2013, 3,154 people were killed in the United States and 424,000 injured in accidents where distracted driving was involved.
For the purposes of the report, trained observers were place in seven municipalities to observe driver behavior and extrapolated across the state.
Distracted driving has been against the law in Connecticut for ten years and the fines have also increased to $150 for a first offense, $300 for the second and $500 for three or more. However, this has not stopped the problem.
To try and help, this month several police departments, along with the state police and with the help of grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are participating in a crackdown dubbed “U Drive, U Text, U Pay.” Hundreds of tickets have been issued already, over the more than 7,000 tickets issued in a similar effort in September.
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in an accident in Connecticut, contact the Stamford accident attorneys at Hastings, Cohan & Walsh, LLP. We can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Call us at (888) 244-5480 – or Click here for a free case evaluation.
