Conn. launches $2M grant program to boost rural traffic enforcement
The grant will fund overtime pay and new equipment to help state and local police curb excessive speeding
Lights on a parked police vehicle, Friday, April 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Matt Rourke/AP
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut is ramping up enforcement on speeding and reckless driving in rural areas with a $2 million federal grant aimed at improving road safety,
NBC Connecticut reported.
The High-Risk Rural Roads Enforcement Campaign will run from March 1 to May 30, funding additional patrols by state troopers and local police, according to the report. The grant will cover overtime pay and new equipment to help officers monitor back roads more effectively.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) reported an average of 44 deaths on rural roads each year from 2019 to 2023, with excessive speeding being a major factor.
“Places where the speed limit is 30 and people are driving 60, just really unsafe dangerous behaviors happening,” said Josh Morgan, director of communications for CT DOT.
In last year’s campaign, law enforcement conducted more than 7,600 traffic stops and issued 4,300 speeding citations statewide, according to the report. Fines for speeding violations range from $200 to $500 and may include a mandatory court appearance, depending on the severity of the offense.
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