Due to the prevalence of electronic communication devices such as iPhones, distracted driving is beginning to rival DWI as a major cause of traffic fatalities. In response, Connecticut has enacted distracted driving laws that prohibit certain behavior on the road. Violation of this law can result in fines, civil liability and, in extreme cases, imprisonment.
Distracted Driving Restrictions
All drivers are banned from using hand-held electronic devices while the vehicle is in motion. The use of all cell phones, whether hand-held or hands-free, is banned for school bus drivers. Likewise, drivers under 18 may not use even hands-free electronic devices while driving on a highway. There is an exception for emergency calls – you cannot be cited for distracted driving for reporting an injury accident, for example.
Drivers are also banned from any potentially dangerous activity that is “not related to the actual operation of a motor vehicle”. This could even include arguing with a passenger, if it is done in an unsafe manner.
Penalties
In Connecticut, the fine for distracted driving depends on what activity got you cited in the first place. The fine for using a handheld cell phone is $125 for a first offense, $250 for a second offense, and $400 for third and further offenses. The fine for texting while driving is $100 for a first offense, $150 for a second offense and $200 for third and further offenses.
If you are under 18 when you are cited, you will face a 30-day license suspension plus a $125 license reinstatement fee and court costs. A second offense will result in a six-month license suspension plus a $125 license reinstatement fee and court costs. Any driver’s license suspension will end automatically when you turn 18, even if its initial term has not yet expired.
In the Event of an Accident
If you are involved in an accident while violating Connecticut’s distracted driving law, the consequences could turn out to be a lot more expensive than a citation, even if you are not cited at the time of the accident. In fact, you could face the obligation to pay damages in a lawsuit even if your activity did not violate the law (a 25-year old driver talking on a cell phone, for example), if your conduct is considered negligent under the circumstances. Likewise, if you sue another driver for an accident in which you were violating the distracted driving law, your damages might be reduced or even eliminated if you are found to be partially at fault for the accident.
Remember that even if you were texting or using a cell phone at the time of the accident, there will be no consequences unless this activity was a substantial cause of the accident. Special rules apply for defendants under 16 years old.
Criminal Penalties
Normally, getting into an accident while texting or using a cell phone will not get you arrested for a criminal offense. You could be arrested for criminal negligence, however, if the accident caused death or serious injury and if your conduct was outrageous enough under the circumstances to amount to a “gross deviation” from a reasonable standard of care.
– Updated through September 1, 2016