U Drive, U Text, U Pay
VENTNOR - Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Highway Traffic Safety announced that Ventnor City has been awarded a $4,200 grant for the launch of a high visibility enforcement effort to mitigate the menace of distracted driving. During the month of April, law enforcement officers will enforce laws prohibiting texting and distracted driving.
Public safety is my number one priority, and that includes safe passage on New Jersey roadways, Attorney General Platkin said in a release. Our efforts to reduce distracted driving go hand in hand with the Murphy Administration's focus on the safety and security of all New Jerseyans. Distracted driving kills it is that simple. And the initiative announced today couples education with enforcement - educating residents about the dangers of distracted driving and stepping up our enforcement of laws that prohibit it.
Distracted driving has long been a leading cause of crashes in New Jersey. Data shows that driver inattention accounted for 49 percent of all crashes recorded in the State from 2017 through 2021 and 915 fatalities during that period. Nearly 23 percent of crashes involving a distracted driver resulted in one or more injuries.
During the month of April, police departments in New Jersey will be participating in the annual U Drive. U Text. U Pay distracted driving enforcement campaign. During the campaign, law enforcement agencies in New Jersey will join their national partners in a targeted crackdown on drivers who engage in conduct that takes their focus off the road, such as texting or talking on the phone.
It is illegal in New Jersey to operate a motor vehicle while using a handheld electronic device. Violating this law subjects motorists to fines of $200 to $400 for a first offense which could increase to $800 with the addition of three insurance points in subsequent violations.
To assist with New Jersey's U Drive. U Text. U Pay. enforcement efforts, HTS has provided 157 law enforcement agencies throughout the State with grants totaling $1,168,230 that pay for saturation patrols during the month-long campaign.
In 2022, the distracted driving crackdown yielded more than 8,000 citations in New Jersey for cell phone use or texting, and almost 4,000 for careless driving.
In observance of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, HTS also announced a new iteration of its highly successful Memorial public awareness campaign. The new campaign will serve as a remembrance of all the victims of distracted driving and of the roadside memorials created to honor them.
For more information on the Division of Highway Traffic Safety or to see more of the Memorial campaign, visit njsaferoads.com.
