What Are Connecticut’s Distracted Driving Laws?

Aaron Jainchill | | Car Accidents
Driving car and using phone to text.

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in Connecticut. In response, state lawmakers have passed several laws to combat distracted driving and hold careless drivers accountable. These Connecticut distracted driving laws can also help you seek compensation if you suffer injuries in an accident caused by an inattentive motorist.

What Do Connecticut’s Distracted Driving Laws Prohibit and Allow?

Connecticut law primarily addresses when and how drivers may use cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. Four key parts of the law address the following:

  • Handheld device use – Connecticut law bans drivers from holding or using a cellphone or other mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle, even when stopped at a red light or in traffic.
  • Hands-free use for adults – Drivers age 18 and older may use a phone through only a hands-free accessory, such as Bluetooth or voice controls, while driving.
  • Rules for drivers under 18 – Connecticut law bars younger drivers (under 18) from using any phone while driving, including hands-free devices.
  • Scope of covered devices – The law applies to phones, tablets, laptops, gaming systems, digital cameras, and similar electronic devices.

Are There Any Exceptions to CT’s Distracted Driving Laws

Connecticut law provides limited exceptions for using hand-held mobile telephones and other electronic devices while driving. Drivers can use phones or other devices in emergencies (such as to report a collision). Additionally, police officers, firefighters, and ambulance drivers may use these devices in the performance of their official duties.

What Are the Penalties for Violating Connecticut’s Distracted Driving Laws?

The baseline penalties for violating Connecticut’s distracted driving laws are:

  • First offense – $200 fine.
  • Second offense – $375 fine
  • Third or subsequent violation – $625 fine.

While these fines are substantial, they’re not the only potential consequences of breaking Connecticut’s distracted driving laws. Other outcomes could be:

  • Direct consequences – Drivers who cause collisions can face a reckless driving charge, which carries a maximum of 30 days in jail for a first offense. Distracted drivers could also face more severe penalties if they injure or kill someone in a crash.
  • Secondary consequences – Drivers could see a significant rise in their insurance premiums, or they might lose their driver’s privileges entirely if they accumulate too many points on their license.

Is a Car Accident Caused by Distracted Driving Considered Negligence?

In Connecticut car accident claims, negligence refers to a driver’s failure to take reasonable steps to avoid causing a collision. Given the inherent dangers of distracted driving, a driver who causes a crash due to looking at their phone or otherwise being distracted would likely be considered negligent.

A driver who causes a distracted-driving crash may be negligent per se. This doctrine allows a fact-finder to presume a driver’s negligence from their violation of a traffic law that serves to promote safety and protect others.

Usually, the injured party must prove that someone else’s negligence caused their injuries. With negligence per se, the burden shifts to the person accused of causing the crash to show they either didn’t break the law, or their violation of the law did not cause it, or the victim’s injuries. Because Connecticut law explicitly bans certain types of driver distractions, someone injured in a distracted driving accident likely has a strong case for negligence per se.

distracted driving

Can I Sue a Distracted Driver for the Accident They Caused?

You may be eligible to file an insurance claim or a car accident lawsuit against a distracted driver who caused your crash. To win your case, you must show that the driver acted carelessly, and their actions led to your injuries.

Unlike in criminal trials, it isn’t necessary to prove the negligent driver’s actions beyond a reasonable doubt. The standard of proof in civil cases (such as car accident claims) is “preponderance of the evidence.” The standard requires evidence showing it was more likely than not that the other driver acted carelessly.

An experienced Hartford car accident attorney at Jainchill & Beckert, LLC, can help you make your case to an insurance company or judge.

What Evidence Can Prove a Distracted Driver Caused a Crash?

Your car accident lawyer at Jainchill & Beckert, LLC, can gather evidence to prove how the other driver caused a crash because they were distracted. Common types of evidence in these cases include:

  • Phone records – Call logs, text records, and the other driver’s data usage can show whether they were using their phone at or near the time of the crash. These records can help connect the other driver’s actions to the resulting collision.
  • Police crash reports – Officers often note signs of distraction at the scene when they submit an accident report. Statements about the other driver’s phone use, device handling, or the driver’s words can provide persuasive evidence for your claim.
  • Eyewitness statements – Passengers, other drivers, or pedestrians may have seen the other driver looking down, holding a phone, or interacting with a screen just before the crash. Eyewitness accounts are particularly valuable because they provide a neutral account of what happened.
  • Physical evidence from the scene – A phone found unlocked, open apps, or messages on the screen can offer powerful (albeit circumstantial) evidence of distracted driving.
  • Traffic and surveillance video – Cameras from intersections, nearby businesses, or dashcams may have captured the driver’s behavior before impact. For example, the camera may have recorded the driver with their phone in hand or the driver’s delayed reaction to an imminent hazard.
  • Vehicle data – Many modern vehicles record braking, speed, and steering inputs from the moments before a collision occurs. This data may indicate a lack of braking or a delayed response, consistent with distracted driving.
  • Social media activity – Time-stamped posts, messages, or app activity can show that the other driver was on their phone right before the crash.
  • Expert analysis – Accident reconstruction professionals can review physical evidence and the accident timeline to explain how a distraction contributed to the crash.

Get Help from an Experienced CT Car Accident Lawyer Today

With over 55 years of combined legal experience, the team at Jainchill & Beckert, LLC, will know how to prove whether a distracted driver injured you. We’ve recovered millions for our clients, and our client reviews demonstrate our commitment to everyone we represent. We pride ourselves on our customer service and personalized attention to injured accident victims. Contact us today to learn more in a free consultation.

Author Aaron Jainchill
Aaron Jainchill

Aaron has been practicing law throughout Connecticut for over two decades. In that time, he has developed a strong reputation for providing both excellent and compassionate legal representation to every client that passes through our doors. He has litigated cases in nearly every courthouse in the state, and our clients benefit from his deep knowledge of the law within his practice areas and beyond.  

Reflecting the high quality of his services, he has been certified as a Civil Trial Attorney by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification. This honor is granted to fewer than 100 attorneys in the state, as well as fewer than 4% of attorneys nationwide. Aaron graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1995 and the Western New England University School of Law in 1998.