Once Around the City: Distracted driving comes at a cost

NORWALK, Conn. – New Canaan, Norwalk and Wilton Police Officers will join forces Monday, June 16, to intensify their efforts to target motorists who violate distracted driving laws. Intensive “zero tolerance” enforcement will occur in each jurisdiction.

This multi-agency traffic safety task force will crack down on motorists who text or use a hand-held cellphone while driving. This “high-visibility enforcement” is intended to call attention to a law that took effect Oct. 1. It allows reporting of distracted driving offenses to insurance companies and increases fines for texting and using hand-held phones while driving.

According to a press release from Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik:

• In 2010, 3092 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving a distracted driver and an estimated additional 416,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.
• Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
• Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.
• Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use.

Connecticut Law Says:

• The use of a handheld cellular telephone or other electronic device is banned for all drivers.
• The use of a cellular telephone (handheld and hands-free) is banned for bus drivers.
• The use (handheld and hands-free) of a cellular telephone or other electronic device while driving is banned for novice* drivers.
• Texting while driving is banned for all drivers.

• Fines are now $150 for the first offense, $300 for the second offense and $500 for a third or subsequent offense.

*Connecticut defines novice drivers as those under the age of 18 or with a learner’s permit.

Call the Norwalk Police Tip Line at 203-854-3111; Anonymous Internet tips can be sent to the Norwalk Police website.

Anonymous text tips can be submitted by typing “NPD” into the text field, followed by the message, and sending it to CRIMES (274637).

Art opening at Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum

An exhibit of watercolors by artist Mimi Adams Findlay will open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Ave. The exhibit will run through Oct. 31.

Findlay, a New Canaan resident for more than 40 years, studied watercolor painting first with Mac Squires in Wilton from 1961 to 1965, and then with Edgar Whitney from 1965 to 1975. His challenging tutorials enabled her to paint in the “wet on wet” method, saturating both sides of the paper, front and back and then completing the painting before the paper is completely dry.

Always painting outdoors, on site, her subjects have been flowers in her gardens, her children, landscapes and seascapes, especially in Maine and Nantucket, and occasionally scenes in Paris. She won first prize in the Darien Art Show and in the Washington Square, NYC, Art Show in the 1970’s. In 1970, she won first prize for watercolor painting at the New Canaan Outdoor Art Show.

From 1980 to 2005 she owned Mimi Findlay Antiques/Design, exhibiting in Antiques Shows in New York City, offering design services to private clients for the restoration of historic interiors as well as providing the appropriate antiques and period furnishings. She serves on the vetting committee of the annual Winter Antiques Show in the Armory.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. Tours are offered at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Children under 8 are admitted free. For more information, visit the website, email [email protected], or call (203) 838-9799.

Bridge safety and evaluation lane closures

There will be lane closures on several days in the area over the next week to accommodate the state Department of Transportation’s bridge safety and evaluation program.

• Monday, June 16: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Norwalk, alternating left and right closures on Route 1 between Riverside Avenue and Route 7 northbound ramps.
• Wednesday, June 18: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stamford, alternating left and right closures on Route 15 South between exits 34 and 31.
• Thursday, June 19: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Norwalk, right lane closures on Route 136 between water Street and Seaview Avenue.
• Friday, June 20: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Norwalk, right lane closures on Route 136 between water Street and Seaview Avenue.