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Working in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office, Bridgeport Police handed out 433 cell phone violations and 49 other motor vehicle offenses from Aug. 3-16 as part of its initiative to crack down on motorists who text while driving, the department said in a statement.
This was the second time this year that Bridgeport Police assembled the special patrol unit aimed at minimalizing motorists who text, talk or otherwise drive distracted by using a hand-held device.
Violations involve heavy fines ranging from $150 for first offenses, to $300 for a second violation, and $500 for each subsequent offense.
“I am proud of the work of our Bridgeport police officers during this initiative to keep drivers safe,” Police Chief Joseph Gaudett said in a statement. “Increased enforcement prevents drivers from getting into needless accidents that injure themselves and others.”
Connecticut is the only state in the nation receiving special distracted driving prevention funds. In the last two years, it’s received more than $4.6 million in resources for programs such as Bridgeport’s “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” initiative. In 2013, distracted driving caused 3,154 deaths and another 424,000 injuries, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, who warned of the increased risk of driving while multi-tasking.
Visit distraction.gov for more information regarding the national distracted driving issue.
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