Thursday, February 23, 2012

Majority of Connecticut voters support red light safety cameras

The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) today released the results of a recent public opinion poll showing that a strong majority of Connecticut registered voters, 68 percent, support the use of red light safety cameras at busy intersections. When further told that the Connecticut General Assembly could soon vote on a measure to allow cities to install red light safety cameras, 67 percent stood by their support of the cameras.

“These results clearly show that Connecticut residents support the use of red light cameras to make their busy local intersections safer,” said David Kelly, NCSR’s President and Executive Director, and former acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “We are pleased to see that Connecticut voters understand the need for red light safety cameras and want to see legislation passed allowing for this proven life-saving technology.”

Other highlights of the Connecticut poll:

  • 77 percent of minority voters polled support red light safety camera legislation.
  • 70 percent of voters sampled (half of the total voters polled) felt that other drivers are more careful when they know red light safety cameras are present.
Enabling legislation to allow Connecticut municipalities to install red light safety cameras will be introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly. Supporters include Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney and Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Tony Guerrera, with vocal support from Governor Dannel Malloy.

“It’s time has come,” said Jim Finley, Executive Director and CEO of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the statewide association of towns and cities. “Being labeled ‘The Land of Steady Habits’ is not a compliment when it comes to public safety, and the people of our state know it. Cities and towns should be afforded the option to use these cameras, at their discretion, in order to make the streets of Hometown Connecticut safer.”

“While no advocated position is ever truly a slam dunk given the vagaries of politics, support for red light cameras is about as close as you can get,” said Scott Elder of the Global Strategy Group which conducted the poll. “Not only does support outweigh opposition by well over two-to-one, the arguments against this public safety measure are weak, failing to move voters against it in a significant way.”

The survey was conducted by Global Strategy Group from January 26 through January 29, 2012 among 602 likely voters and has a margin error of +/-4.0%. The total sample polled was 30% Democrat, 21% Republican, and 49% Independent. The total sample was comprised of 274 males and 328 females.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

DMV Video Contest Winners Announced

Schools ranking in the Top 10 are (alphabetically) and can be viewed at:   http://www.youtube.com/teensafedriving12

 *   Arts at the Capitol Theater, Willimantic
 *   Coginchaug High School, Durham
 *   Daniel Hand High School, Madison
 *   Darien High School
 *   East Haven High School
 *   Hall High School, West Hartford (3 ranking videos)
 *   Manchester High School
 *   Norwich Free Academy

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Teen Safe Driving Awareness Week

WETHERSFIELD –  Connecticut’s Safe Teen Driving Awareness Week (Dec. 4-10) is an opportunity for community leaders statewide to organize their area teens around the theme of How A Community Helps to Make Teens Safe Drivers for submitting a video to DMV’s  teen safe driving video contest.

DMV sponsors the annual “From the Driver’s Seat to the Director’s Chair” video contest in cooperation with The Travelers Companies, Inc.

DMV is also releasing today a new agreement (see link under RESOURCES on this website) between a teen and adult teaching them to drive. It starts a discussion for every community, every adult involved in a teen driver's training and every young driver before a teen gets behind the wheel. The Commissioner’s Advisory Committee on Teen Safe Driving completed work on it today.


Videos for the contest must illustrate a specific community effort to help prevent crashes, injuries and deaths among 16- and 17-year-olds, who are the state’s youngest and most inexperienced drivers. The deadline for submitting a video is January 13, 2012. Contest information and rules can be found at www.ct.gov/teendriving/contest.

Connecticut has annually marked its own Safe Teen Driving Awareness week in December for the last several years. It is championed by !MPACT, officially known as Mourning Parents Act, Inc., an organization of families and friends of teens who died in car crashes.