Connecticut’s most dangerous rural roads will have a heavier police presence for the next few months.
It’s the second year of the High-Risk Rural Roads Campaign, which aims to promote safe driving on quieter roadways.
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said the issue is personal for her.
“My brother was riding his bicycle on a rural road and was left almost to die,” Bysiewicz said. “Fortunately, he did not. The driver who hit him left the scene. Fortunately, a good samaritan found him and was able to stay with him until an ambulance came.”
Bysiewicz said 2022 was the worst year for road fatalities in Connecticut, with 367 people killed on the state’s roads. In 2024, there were 327 deaths.
DOT Deputy Commissioner Laoise King said the quiet roads can be the most dangerous.
“Almost every day, we see reports of drivers in rural areas exceeding speeds over 90, 100, 110 miles per hour,” King said. “These drivers are often impaired or distracted, putting lives in jeopardy because of selfish and reckless behavior.”
“Rural roads are an essential part of our state's infrastructure,” King continued. “They connect communities and small businesses and provide access to schools and health care. While rural roads in Connecticut may be picturesque and beautiful, they can quickly become deadly.”
Connecticut’s first High-Risk Rural Roads campaign in 2024 led to over 7,600 traffic stops and 4,300 speeding citations.
