Distracted driving has long been the cause of motor vehicle accidents, too many of them resulting in fatalities.

Many a motorist has taken his or her focus off the roadway to eat, drink, talk, light a cigarette, turn on the radio, change clothes — you name it.

But in recent years, distracted driving has been elevated to a more serious, more deadly level.

In the digital era, the proliferation of cellphone use — and now texting — has turned many a motor vehicle into a deadly weapon.

About 3,000 people a year are killed in distracted driving accidents in the United States, with the lion’s share of those fatalities attributed to cellphone use or texting.

That is tragic. It is outrageous. And it is likely that virtually every one of those crashes could have been avoided.

We have seen enough.

We believe it is high time for motorists to stop talking on the cellphone while operating a motor vehicle and to stop texting while driving.

We believe it is time for law enforcement officials to crack down on the motorists who persist in breaking the law — and endangering others on the highway.

We believe it is time for society to place a sharp focus on this serious issue and dramatically decrease the number of deaths caused by the use of cellphones and texting.

So we are pleased with the attention being given to the problem in Connecticut, and particularly in this part of the state.

Connecticut is one of just two states to receive a federal grant and participate in a program aimed at providing high-visibility enforcement of distracted driving laws. And this region was designated the focal area for that project, with seven Greater Danbury police departments participating.

In addition, a new state law designed to reduce the use of cellphones and texting while driving will go into effect Oct. 1.

State Rep. David Scribner, whose 107th District includes Brookfield and parts of Bethel and Danbury, was the primary architect of the new law, which among other things will increase the fines to $150 for the first violation, $300 for a second infraction and $500 for all subsequent abuses of the law.

There is no cure-all for distracted driving, and the scary reality is that the digital present — and future — could lead to even more careless driving.

But nearly every distracted driving crash is avoidable, and the number of accidents and fatalities can indeed be reduced through a societal team effort.

We call on every motorist to put a self-ban on the use of the cellphone and texting while driving.

We urge passengers in the vehicle to use their influence to put a stop to any form of distracted driving.

And we hope the new distracted driving law, increased enforcement, and greater awareness of the dangers of cellphone use and texting while driving will dramatically reduce the number of crashes and deaths.

The News Times of Danbury

(Conn.)