Put the brakes on texting while driving

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) - Teen drivers, drunk drivers, and distracted drivers are some of the most common causes of car crashes in the state.

Traffic safety advocates met on March 10th and shared ideas and information to save lives. Among the topics: distracted driving.

Car crashes are a common sight on roadways. The data shows, distracted driving increases the odds significantly.

Connecticut is one of two states in a National Highway Traffic Safety effort, aimed at putting the brakes on distracted driving.

A major concern, it appears drivers are not familiar with the state law that includes a ban on texting.

"It says that you can not receive a text or send a text while the vehicle is in operation. When they say the vehicle is in operation, that means when the key is in the ignition, that is operation," says Ed Hedge of the Department of Transportation.

Ed Hedge coordinates the federal pilot enforcement program in the state. He is among the traffic safety advocates gathered at this conference in New Haven to help save lives.

"The success of this program really isn't about how many tickets we've given out or citations, it really just solidifies that there's a problem," says Hedge.

Already, more than 10,000 citations have been handed out in and around the Hartford area in just a three week wave for cell phone use, including texting.

Also on the panel of specialists, doctors underscoring the impact of collisions.

"If you crash, you have a high chance of injury for sure and certainly a high incidence or modest incidence of mortality," says Kevin Schuster of Yale New Haven Hospital.

In fact, the Trauma Medical Director at Yale-New Haven Hospital says there's one in three chances of dying when it happens, and the injuries sustained can be serious.

"These patients suffer often chronic conditions, especially brain injury, patients can suffer chronic inability to perform in the fashion prior to injury," says Schuster.