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NEW CANAAN, Conn. New Canaan Police Sgt. Carol Ogrinc is glad to hear that the Board of Selectmen is joining the chorus of people warning drivers to put away their cellphones while on the road.
The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday to declare Sept. 19 as Dont Text and Drive Day in New Canaan. The resolution serves as a call for people to not send text messages while behind the wheel. The resolution included a pledge that board members will not text and drive and will work to educate our community about the dangers of texting while driving and will encourage others to take the pledge not to text and drive.
Ogrinc, who is also New Canaans youth officer, supports the resolution if it helps to keep people off their phones while on the road. Its a great thing, and Im totally on board with that, Ogrinc said. It needs to be expanded to every single day.
The police still stop people for distracted driving, Ogrinc said, even after a New Canaan High School student was charged earlier this year with negligent homicide after a Norwalk man died after an accident last March. Norwalk police said the girl was using her iPhone at the time of the accident.
It (texting) has become a way of life for some people and it shouldnt be. Not when theyre driving, anyway, Ogrinc said.
New Canaan Police hosted a distracted driving forum last June featuring Jacy Good, a woman who lost her parents and was badly injured in an accident caused by a man driving while using his cell phone. Ogrinc said she plans to have other distracted driving programs this school year.
Young drivers and adults alike need to hear and heed the no-texting message, Ogrinc said. Infants and toddlers in car seats being driven around are seeing what their parents do and kids model their parents behavior, she said. It has to start with the parents.
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