Trenton – During the
past 23 months, 224,725 citations -- an
average of 9,770 a month -- have been issued
to motorists violating New Jersey’s
cell phone law, which prohibits texting
and talking on hand-held phones while driving,
said Pam Fischer, Director of the Division
of Highway Traffic Safety.
“We are making progress
in our efforts to ensure that all motorists
are aware of the consequences they face
if they choose to talk on a cell phone or
text while driving,” Fischer said.
“Our work is far from done, though.
Any cell phone conversation while driving,
whether hand-held or hands-free, is distracting
and dangerous, and can result in crashes,
injuries, and in some cases the loss of
life. For the safety of all roadway users,
we must hang up and just drive.”
According to the National
Safety Council, each year at least 1.4 million
crashes nationwide are caused by drivers
talking on their cell phones, while a minimum
of 200,000 crashes are caused by drivers
texting behind the wheel. In New Jersey,
since 2008, there have been 3,610 crashes
involving a motorist using a hand-held cell
phone, resulting in 1,548 injuries and 13
deaths. During the same time period, 3,129
crashes involving the use of a hands-free
device resulted in 1,495 injuries and 6
fatalities.
“These numbers are
staggering, but perhaps even more disturbing
is the number of crashes involving cell
phone use and texting that go unreported,”
Fischer said. “We know that many drivers
involved in a crash don’t admit to
these behaviors, which means that the actual
number of cell phone-related crashes in
New Jersey is much greater.”
New Jersey’s primary
cell phone law went into effect on March
1, 2008. Motorists violating New Jersey’s
law face a $100 fine plus court costs and
fees.
“The New Jersey Chiefs
of Police are committed to enforcing our
state’s laws that help to ensure the
safety of the motoring public on our roadways.
Distracted driving by the use of cell phones
decreases traffic safety, and is a violation
of New Jersey’s law. We encourage
the motoring public to drive responsibly
and respect the motor vehicle laws of our
state,” added Robert A. Coulton, Ewing
Police Chief and President of the New Jersey
Chiefs of Police Association.
“New Jersey’s
strict law has allowed us to make tremendous
strides in getting drivers to put their
cell phones down and focus on the task at
hand,” said Motor Vehicle Commission
Acting Chief Administrator Raymond P. Martinez.
“However, phones are just one of the
many distractions that put drivers at risk.
When behind the wheel, your only concern
should be the safe operation of the motor
vehicle and the road ahead that you share
with others.”
A Fairleigh Dickinson University
PublicMind Poll on driving behaviors conducted
last year and co-sponsored by the Division
of Highway Traffic Safety, found that the
number of New Jersey drivers who said they
sent text messages while driving increased
by 40 percent between 2008 and 2009.
In addition, 57 percent
of those drivers under the age of 30 said
that they have texted while driving, up
six percent from 2008, while more than one
in four drivers aged 30 to 44 said they
have sent a text message, up eight percent
from the previous year. Twelve percent of
motorists between the ages of 45 and 60
said they have also sent text messages while
driving.
“While the state’s
motor vehicle fatality rate continued to
fall for the third consecutive year, there
are still far too many people engaging in
unsafe driving behaviors, including talking
and texting, that contribute to a dangerous
and often tragic situation on our roads,”
Director Fischer said. “If we’re
to reach our goal of zero fatalities, every
driver must take personal responsibility
for his or her actions behind the wheel,
and make a commitment to safety.”
To further inform motorists
about the state’s cell phone/texting
law, the Department of Transportation expects
to have new signage in place on major roadways,
including those that serve as major entry
points into New Jersey, before the summer
travel season. The signs will alert motorists
that it’s illegal to talk on a hand-held
cell phone in New Jersey. A reminder to
buckle up, every ride, will also be included
on the signage.
Cell phone use and texting
is not only a critical traffic safety issue
for drivers, but one that also impacts pedestrians.
“I have personally
witnessed the potential danger a pedestrian
can face when distracted by a phone conversation
or text message,” Fischer added. “Several
months ago, I literally pulled a pedestrian
talking on a cell phone out of the path
of an oncoming vehicle. The woman was talking
on her cell phone, and didn’t check
for traffic before stepping into the crosswalk.
Regardless of your mode of transportation,
you must be 100 percent engaged in what
you’re doing or you’re putting
yourself and everyone else on the road at
risk.”
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