Sen. Hwang Joins Fairfeld Police for Distracted Driving Awareness Month
April 9, 2019Article as it appears on WTNH News8
Distracted driving can kill you and cost you money
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) – Dozens of drivers are now facing fines for distracted driving in Fairfield. Seven officers started searching for offenders at six Monday morning.
“In 3 hours, we issued 65 infractions in the town of Fairfield for distracted driving,” said Fairfield police chief Christopher Lyddy.
The Chief says thanks to some federal money, they are upping traffic enforcement for April – Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
State Sen.Tony Hwang (R) says, “all it takes is a fraction of a second for tragedy to occur.”
Spreading that message is what brought Tony Hwang, police, and AAA to the Fairfield police department on Monday morning.
Hwang, “we’re all guilty of it somehow someway and we all think it doesn’t happen to us.”
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found hands-free interactions can distract drivers for as long as 27 seconds after a conversation ends. Another study found the most distracting thing you can do is program your GPS.
Neil Chaudhary from Traffic Safety Research says, “it’s worse than texting. It’s worse than talking on a handheld phone. If you need to program your GPS pullover.”
AAA’s Fran Mayko says, “anything that takes your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, your mind off the task at hand is a problem.”
Not only is it dangerous, it can be expensive too. Your first offense is $150. Second, is $300. Third time is $500. The second time? $300. A third time will cost you $500.