State Calls Cell Phone Crackdown Successful

TRENTON — According to a release from the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS), a recent cell phone enforcement program that included participation by a local police department was a big success.
The percentage of motorists violating the state’s cell phone law decreased from 12 percent to six percent in 18 towns participating in a recent cell phone enforcement crackdown, HTS Director Pam Fischer announced April 24.
In addition, the number of motorists texting while driving in those towns also decreased, from two percent to one percent.
The Ocean City Police Department was one of the law enforcement agencies to receive a $4,000 grant to participate.
“This initiative was designed to enhance current law enforcement efforts to stop motorists from texting and talking when behind the wheel, and to educate drivers about the potentially fatal consequences of unsafe driving practices,” Fischer said.
“In 2007, 1,866 motor vehicle crashes were caused by the use of hand-held phones and 1,421 crashes were caused when drivers were talking hands-free. When a motorist is behind the wheel, any distraction can be deadly.”
Under the effort, known as “Hang Up, Just Drive,” the Division provided grants of $4,000 each to 18 local police departments for identifying, stopping and ticketing motorists who they observed texting or talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving.
The two-week program, which ran March 2 – 15, was designed to increase compliance with New Jersey’s cell phone/texting law, which has been in effect since March 1 last year.
As part of the initiative, police officers were positioned on the street and in vehicles at various intersections in their municipalities, where they could observe drivers who might be violating the cell phone/texting law. If a violation was observed, the vehicle was pulled over and the driver issued a citation. Participating agencies also conducted illegal cell phone/texting usage surveys before and after the crackdown.
As a result of the effort, 4,075 tickets were issued to motorists violating the state’s cell phone/texting law. In addition to cell phone/texting citations, participating police departments also issued 387 seat belt summonses and 185 speeding tickets, cited 27 motorists for driving while intoxicated and made 32 drug-related arrests.
Fischer added that during the month of March 2009, 14,464 cell phone tickets were issued to motorists throughout the state for violating the cell phone law. Approximately 120,000 cell phone tickets were issued to drivers during the first 12 months of the primary cell phone/texting ban.
A list of the police agencies that participated in the initiative can be found at www.nj.gov/oag/hts/grants/grantees.html .
Additional information on New Jersey’s cell phone law and educational materials that can be downloaded to increase public awareness are available on the Division’s web site, at www.njsaferoads.com.