Just Say No to Distracted Driving

It’s time for Connecticut to increase penalties for those who drive distracted. Despite a 2005 statewide ban on using handheld cell phones while driving, 30,756 were issued citations during the fiscal year 2012.
The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that a bill supported by the Transportation Committee would add distracted driving to the list of moving violations which are reported to insurance companies.
Unfortunately, at the present time, those who are issued tickets for distracted driving pay the ticket and the insurance company is not notified. According to an Office of Legislative Research bill analysis, the first violation is a $125 fine, the second violation is a $250 fine, and the third and subsequent violations are a $400 fine.
Pending legislation would discourage violators even further with first-time violators being assessed a $150 fine, second-time violators a $300 fine, and third and subsequent violations a $500 fine. The increased fine is expected to provide the state an additional $641,000, according to the Office of Fiscal Analysis.
The bill would also create a task force to study distracted driving prevention measures such as the effectiveness and enforcement of existing laws, consider measures taken by the federal government and other states, and make recommendations, including legislation.
The AP reported that a separate bill is being considered that would change Connecticut laws so the state is eligible for $350,000 to $500,000 annually in new federal distracted driving prevention funds. Those changes include expanding the handheld cell phone use ban so that drivers would not be allowed to use handheld cell phones at stop lights. Additionally, it would remove an exemption for ham radio operators and add distracted driving questions on driver’s licensing exams.
The state should make these changes because these funds could be used for additional high visibility campaigns, a clear sign the state is concerned more about people’s safety than just making more money.
A previous $200,000 grant from the National Traffic Safety Administration (NTSA) for Hartford’s high visibility enforcement in 2010 and 2011 led to the decrease of observed driver’s texting by 72%. The enforcement included a media campaign with an enforcement-based message.
“High visibility campaigns are a proven countermeasure to change drivers’ behavior quickly. The intent of high-visibility enforcement is not to issue tickets, but to take advantage of motorists’ desire to avoid citations or escalating fines for repeat offenders,” said NTSA.
About five percent of drivers nationwide use a handheld cell phone while driving, the NTSA estimates. They claim that those who text often break other motor vehicle laws such as drifting from one lane to another, driving too slowly, or weaving between lanes. Those using a hand-held cell phone are more likely to get into an accident, according to NTSA, even if they just take their eyes off the road for two seconds.
The NTSA says that drivers are calling and texting, while at the same time, advocating for more enforcement of laws that prohibit those activities, adding that “changing driver’s assessment of the risk associated with their behavior presents a challenge.” In fact, the NTSA reports that in 2010, more than 3,000 people were killed and 416,000 people were injured due to distracted driving, which includes texting while driving.
Increasing penalties for those who provide a clear and present danger to other motorists is just common sense.