Police Departments Team Up To Keep Roads Safe

Throughout the past summer a handful of local police departments teamed up to conduct traffic mitigation strategies to keep the roads throughout the state safe. According to those familiar with the operation over the summer it was so successful at limiting the number of New Haven auto accidents that occurred that these departments are back at it again this month and into next month.

The police departments that are involved do not actually include the New Haven police department, but rather nearby departments including Guilford, Branford, North Branford, East Haven, North Haven and Madison. Each week the officers from the various departments team up in one of the neighboring towns to enforce traffic violations and utilize the task force to maintain a police presence on the roads throughout the month.

While there has been some controversy around the partnership and the methods that are being used to enforce certain laws, these police departments believe that the results speak for themselves as they are removing dangerous behaviors from Connecticut’s roads.

If you’re traveling along a road in the area of these communities you should be on the lookout and be following the rules of the road as they are being enforced mightily in these areas specifically. The enforcement is being focused on a few key areas that are always a problem for public safety including the following;

1.) Excessive speed. Officers who are involved with these efforts are reporting that they are pulling over individuals who are traveling at over 80 mph which in many areas is more than 20 mph over the speed limit. This may be considered reckless driving and may be grounds for impounding your vehicle and losing your license if you are pulled over for this type of speed. Above and beyond the chances that you might get into legal hot water, you may also be putting yourself and your passengers at significant risk of being hurt or even killed as excessive speed is one of the deadliest things you can do behind the wheel.

2.) Distracted driving. When using your cell phone for texting or calling, looking down at the radio, performing personal hygiene behind the wheel or engaging in any other distracting behavior you should know that you are being watched and if you are caught driving while distracted you could face significant fines or worse. As well as any legal trouble you might get into it is common knowledge that driving while distracted can lead to serious injury. Even taking your eye of the road for a single second while you’re traveling at highway speeds could mean you are keeping your eyes off the road in front of you for the length of a football field. This could have dangerous and deadly consequences for you and your passengers.

3.) Driving under the influence. Most drivers know that driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous and can lead to serious injuries. Did you also know that smoking or ingesting marijuana can also lead to significant risks? It’s true. Being under the influence of any substance that alters your ability to react to the road in front of you or dulls your decision making could lead to you getting into an accident and causing you a serious injury. The partnership of officers is also cracking down on this behavior throughout the area and if you’re caught driving while under the influence you can face serious consequences including losing your license.

Developing a partnership to limit the numbers of dangerous behaviors that drivers are engaging in throughout the region can lead to a sharp decline in New Haven auto accidents, but it also comes with a cost. Officers are continuing to leverage these partnerships to patrol the streets of their communities and those surrounding their own community, however this will likely not be an on-going, year round partnership due to the cost of the program. Officers from these towns are working together through mid-October and then will reassess the needs of their communities and the resources available to help curb dangerous behaviors on the road.

If you become injured because you are involved in risky behaviors or are the victim of someone else who was engaged in these types of behaviors you may wish to speak with an attorney. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you protecting your long-term interests.