Results of the three-week Distracted Driving Campaign have been released by the West Hartford Police Department. 

Submitted by Captain Jeff Rose, West Hartford Police Department

The West Hartford Police Department participating in the Distracted Driving campaign from Sept. 3 – 24, 2014. The campaign was made possible with a grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.

West Hartford police officers conducted traffic enforcement details in all areas of town including major intersections on New Britain Avenue, Farmington Avenue, North and South Main Streets, Park Road, and Albany Avenue. Officers also enforced distracted driving laws in several school zones in town. The officers used mobile patrols and used “spotter” officers to call out violations to other police officers stationed farther down a street.

These numbers are the result of the distracted driving campaign:

Distracted driving infractions (including cell phone use, texting, and other distracted driving behavior): 584

Other MV violations (including seatbelt, driving under suspension, no insurance, unregistered vehicles, and equipment): 92

There was one DWI arrest made from a cell phone violation car stop at 9:45 am in which the arrestee registered a .154 and a .152 blood alcohol concentration.

There were 3 other arrests made for motorists who had warrants and one drug arrest for heroin made on a cell phone violation detail..

The goal of the traffic details was to promote safe driving habits by enforcing Connecticut’s distracted driving laws. West Hartford police officers will continue working hard to make our streets safer for everyone.

Other West Hartford traffic safety initiatives supported by the Connecticut DOT include DWI enforcement and Click it or Ticket.

[Editor’s Note: For a first-hand account of what happens on the Distracted Driving Detail, click here.]