As of October 1, penalties for the dangerous practice of texting and driving increased in an effort to reduce distracted driving.

As the holiday season draws closer, many of us will spend more time behind the wheel and more time on the road means more opportunities for distracted driving.

Distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of accidents on our roads, with nearly 5,000 crashes attributed to distracted driving in Connecticut in 2020 alone.

State law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers who are 16 or 17 years of age are prohibited from using a cell phone or mobile device at any time, even with a hands-free accessory.

The new fines for driving while distracted that took effect October 1 are:

• For the first violation, offenders are fined $200 (was previously $150)
• For a second violation, offenders are fined $375 (was previously $300)
• For a third or subsequent violation, offenders are fined $625 (was previously $500)

Throughout the month of October and beyond, state and local police will be increasing enforcement of the new distracted driving law.

Please urge your family and friends to put their cell phones away while driving. No text message or phone call is worth putting yourself and others at risk.

For more information on distracted driving click HERE.