Seatbelt Compliance Enforcement Campaign
From May 23 to June 5, our Department conducted intensive enforcement of seatbelt laws.
Prior to the enforcement campaign, we gathered data regarding motorist compliance with seatbelt laws in our Town. The data showed a high compliance rate of 92 percent. At the completion of the enforcement campaign, we saw a 93.5 percent compliance rate. Since the state average is 85.4 percent compliance, we are glad that a high percentage of motorists in New Canaan are obeying seat belt laws.
These laws save lives and prevent injuries.
We will soon launch an enforcement campaign to reduce instances of distracted driving in our Town.
Distracted Driving Enforcement Campaign
Distracted driving is the most significant threat to traffic safety we have seen in many years. Our Department will crack down on motorists who text or use a hand-held cellphone while driving. This “high-visibility enforcement” is intended to increase compliance with distracted driving laws, reduce accidents, injuries and deaths. Officers will be assigned to both marked and unmarked vehicles. The best way to end distracted driving is to strictly enforce Connecticut’s distracted driving laws and to educate motorists about the danger it poses:
- In 2014, 3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
- Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
- Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.
- At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.
- Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use.
Connecticut law
- The use of a handheld cellular telephone or other electronic device is banned for all drivers.
- The use (handheld and hands-free) of a cellular telephone or other electronic device while driving is banned for novice* drivers.
- Texting while driving is banned for all drivers.
- Penalties are $150 for the first offense, $300 for the second offense, and $500 for a third or subsequent offense.
Connecticut defines novice drivers as those under the age of 18 or with a learner’s permit.
Please “hang-up and drive” and do not be a distracted driver. Doing anything other than driving, while operating a vehicle, is dangerous.
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.