Police: Officers in Unmarked Cars Part of Renewed Crackdown on Distracted Driving

Calling distracted driving a common complaint from New Canaanites who observe motorists violating the law in their neighborhoods and downtown, the police chief on Thursday announced that the department is stepping up its efforts to combat the practice.

Starting now, officers “will intensify their efforts to target motorists whom violate distracted driving laws,” Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said in a press release.

“Police are cracking down on motorists who text or use a hand-held cellphone while driving and will use both marked and unmarked vehicles to conduct enforcement,” the chief said.

Under state law, motorists may not use handheld cellphone or other electronic devices while driving—such as by texting—and new drivers (those younger than 18 or using a learner’s permit) may not use any mobile devices, even hands-free.

Distracted driving is “the most significant threat to traffic safety we have seen in many years,” Krolkowski said.

“We must work together on making our roads safer. The best way to end distracted driving is to educate motorists about the danger it poses and to strictly enforce Connecticut’s distracted driving laws.”

In the press release, the chief cited statistics that say drivers who use hand-held devices are four times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves, and that text-messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.

“Doing anything other than driving, while operating a vehicle, is dangerous,” Krolikowski said. “The New Canaan Police Department is serious about enforcing Connecticut’s traffic laws in an effort to reduce the frequency and severity of motor vehicle accidents.”