Rep. Bronko Joins Police, Officials and Governor in Drawing Attention to Roadway Safety

NAUGATUCK – State Representative Seth Bronko, R-Naugatuck, recently joined Governor Lamont in Naugatuck to address the urgent issue of wrong-way driving on Connecticut highways. With a sharp rise in wrong-way crashes, many tied to impaired driving, Rep. Bronko and state officials wanted to take a moment to draw attention to this issue, as well as remind drivers not to text while on the road, drive sober and to take their time getting to their destination during the holidays.

As a member of the Transportation Committee, Rep. Bronko co-sponsored a public act that directed the installation of wrong-way driving detection systems at 120 high-risk entry ramps. Those detection systems have now helped warn dozens of wrong-way drivers, and in 80% of the cases where the system has triggered, the driver has “self-corrected” or turned around before they entered the highway.

But with almost 300 fatalities on our roadways this year (at least 13 of which resulted from wrong-way drivers), there is more work to do, and the state is implementing innovative detection systems, expanding public awareness campaigns, and increasing funding to install safety measures at more high-risk locations.

Rep. Bronko thanked Naugatuck Police Chief C. Colin McAllister, Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto and Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell Higgins for joining in the press briefing and for their work on addressing roadway safety.

And you can learn more about the state’s efforts to reduce roadway fatalities here.