Editorial: Take the wheel, put down the phone

We’ve all seen it. You’re driving along a highway, you pass a vehicle and as you glance over, the driver has one eye on the road, the other on a hand-held device. This practice knows no age or gender limitations — and it is a problem that can lead to accidents with serious injuries or even deaths.

It’s sad to say, but we’ve all been tempted. It’s so easy. It’s just a second. The cellular phone pings, a message flashes on the screen. What could be the harm? It’s only a second. But it is that one-second distraction that could be the difference between life and death — for the person checking the phone and the individuals in another vehicle.

Law enforcement nationwide has warned of the dangers of texting and driving for years, so much so that legislators have established fines for such an action. And this month is used to shed even more light on this driving hazard. From April 2 to April 30, the state Department of Transportation is partnering with local police departments, as well as all other law enforcement across the state, as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign, a high-visibility effort to enforce distracted-driving laws, is designed to make sure all motorists keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.

“Everyone is aware of the dangers of distracted driving, but too many drivers continue to break the law on Connecticut’s roadways,” said Jim Redeker, state Department of Transportation commissioner. “A recent study found that while more than 80% of drivers believed it was completely unacceptable for a motorist to text behind the wheel, over a third of those same drivers admitted to reading text messages while operating a motor vehicle themselves. We need our citizens to know that this behavior is not only illegal but extremely dangerous.”

Research conducted after the 2017 “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign showed that motorists do respond to distracting driving campaigns. Before the start of the April 2017 campaign, 8.3% of drivers were observed with a phone in their hand in areas where police planned to conduct enforcement. This number fell to 6.9% after that enforcement effort had concluded.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2015 alone, 3,477 people were killed, and 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. During daylight hours, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving. That creates enormous potential for deaths and injuries on U.S. roads. Teens were the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of fatal crashes.

Distracted driving fatalities are avoidable, and campaigns that target people who choose to pick up a phone when they are behind the wheel drive the message home that law enforcement is out there patrolling all the time.

Violating Connecticut’s distracted driving laws can be costly. Drivers who are ticketed for this violation may be fined $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second offense and $500 for third and subsequent offenses. For more information, visit distraction.gov.

This month is meant to shine a bright light on the problem. It is hoped that all people who get behind the wheel will put the phone down and keep it down until they reach their destination. If you need to text, pull over and park your vehicle in a safe place first.

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