Cell phones have become ubiquitous in society today. Most people in New Jersey would rarely ever leave home without their phones close at hand or in their hands. When it is time for them to drive, however, these devices should not be in a person’s hands.
According to a report by WFMZ.com, distracted driving is said to be involved in one out of every two accidents in the Garden State. This fact is part of what has led the state to make financial grants to fund a program designed to find and cite drivers who break the state’s distracted driving laws. The money will pay to put law enforcement officers on the street with the primary purpose being to identify and stop distracted drivers.
The State of New Jersey Office of the Attorney General explains that the state’s distracted driving law outline a myriad of activities that may contribute to a person being stopped and ticketed for distracted driving. As to be expected, the handheld use of a cell phone is one of the things that may lead a person to being cited for distracted driving.
Other things drivers may find themselves cited for include the manipulation of a navigation device or system, eating, drinking, reading a map or personal grooming. Penalties for distracted driving in New Jersey may include fines, points on a driver’s record and even the potential loss of driving privileges. Penalties for handheld phone use may be different than penalties for other forms of distracted driving.
