Norwalk Police Conducts Distracted Driving Enforcement In April

NORWALK, CT — The Norwalk Police Department will conduct distracted driving enforcement in April under the "U DRIVE. U TEXT. U PAY." campaign sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office, authorities announced.

As part of the initiative, officers will be cracking down on motorists who text, talk, or distract themselves with a hand-held mobile phone while driving.

"The mission of Norwalk Police Department is to save lives, protect the public and educate our drivers," said Norwalk Police Sgt. Sofia Gulino. "Enforcing texting and driving laws is a critical priority for our department. Starting April 1st, our Norwalk community will see a highly visible and increased enforcement presence on our roadways. Our focus is on safety. Our Officers will be stopping and ticketing any drivers who text while driving, and endanger the public. If you text and drive, you will pay."

According to state's highway safety office, cell phone use while driving leads to over 1.6 million crashes each year. In Connecticut in 2019, more than 6,600 crashes were attributed to distracted driving. According to the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2012 and 2019, more than 26,000 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver, and in 2019 alone, 3,142 people died in distracted driving crashes.

Norwalk's special patrols during the campaign are funded by the state's special distracted driving prevention funds. Connecticut qualifies for this federal funding source through a mix of tough laws and a proven track record in strong enforcement of distracted driving laws. Millions of dollars has been awarded to the state specifically to fund campaigns that protect life like this one.

Under Connecticut’s cell phone and texting law, violations for drivers 18 and over involve heavy
fines:

• $150 for a first offense
• $300 for a second violation
• $500 for each subsequent violation

For drivers under 18, offenses will lead to suspended license privileges, a $175 license restoration fee and court costs. Additionally, regardless of your age, points will be added to your driver’s license.

For more information about national distracted driving issues, visit www.distraction.gov.