COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES
T•T
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES
New Laws for CT Public Transportation, Whether you drive or ride, Increased Security you are subject to new & Reporting transportation legislation.
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Vision Testing – Licensed motor vehicle operators may submit their results from a vision exam performed by a licensed eye doctor versus undergoing a vision test performed by the DMV; Out of State Registration for Motor Vehicles – New CT residents now have 90 days to register their motor vehicle versus the former 60 days; Cannabis Possession & License Suspension - The DMV Commissioner will impose a 60-day driver’s license suspension for any motor vehicle operator under age 21 convicted of possessing any amount of cannabis; Smoking and Vaping - both are prohibited in any area of a platform or shelter for busses and trains; Bus Right of Way - Drivers must allow merging and right-of-way to busses travelling in the same directions; Senior Registrations - Drivers aged 65+ may opt for a one year registration; Seat Belts - All passengers must wear a seatbelt, including those seated in the back; Distracted Driver Fines – Fines increased! 1st offense has increased from $150 to $200; 2nd offense from $300 to $375; 3rd offense from $500 to $625!
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Yielding to Pedestrians at Crosswalks – Drivers must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, step to the curb of the crosswalk and indicate their intent to enter, or who begin physically entering crosswalk with a cane, leg or other body part; Paratransit Drivers as Mandated Reporters – Mandated reporters are a group of professionals deemed close to certain “at risk” individuals who have up close and personal encounters with such individuals and may be privy to signs of neglect and abuse. Drivers will report to the Department Of Social Services when they have reasonable cause and/ or suspect that an elderly person (or person with a disability) needs protective services or has been abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned. Paratransit drivers oftentimes have a window into a passenger’s life to all the good, bad, and sometimes ugly and are sometimes the only social experience some passengers have. Let’s applaud these new laws and welcome these additional supports. If you suspect abuse, neglect, abandonment or exploitation of the elderly and or those with disabilities, REPORT IT! In Connecticut, dial 1-888-385-4225, Mon–Fri, 8:00am- 4:30pm. Evenings, holidays and weekends, dial 2-1-1. Reporters may remain anonymous.
64 SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT – FAIRFIELD, NEW HAVEN, AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES – WINTER 2021- SPRING 2022
