WESTPORT — Gridlock. Jams. Congestion. Hazards. Speeding. Bottlenecks. Snarl. Delays. Dangerous.

By any other printable name, those are among the most common descriptions of traffic in Westport these days.

In an attempt to address growing concerns and complaints about local traffic problems, Westport officials announced Monday that a new police unit will be deployed to particularly crack down “on aggressive and distracted driving.”

The two officers assigned to the new Traffic Safety Unit, officials said, also will host educational programs and forums where the public can share concerns.

The unit was established in response to citizens’ input on traffic issues at neighborhood meetings organized earlier this year by First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, who listed local traffic problems as one of her main campaign planks last year.

Officers Scott Thompson and Dominique Carr have been assigned to the unit.

Thompson, hired by Westport in 2017, previously was an officer in Trumbull for 30 years. In Trumbull, Thompson spent more than 16 years in that department’s traffic unit. He is a certified motorcycle officer and also serves on Westport’s Accident Investigation Team.

Carr, who joined the Westport department in 2020, previously was with Windsor police for two years. He is a certified motorcycle officer.

“Clearly, poor driving habits have become a major quality-of-life issue for our residents,” Tooker said in the statement announcing the new traffic detail. “So, Police Chief [Foti] Koskinas and I are committed to making our roadways safer for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

“The newly created Traffic Safety Unit is a vital step in accomplishing that goal,” Tooker added.

In the officials’ announcement, Koskinas said, “Traffic safety has always been one of the Police Department’s top priorities and it is my belief that the new Traffic Safety Unit will have a positive effect on altering drivers’ behaviors.”