As you guys from NJ must know by now from the digital signs flashing the warning you to put the cell phone down starting March 1. I bet they can’t wait to start collecting that new revenue. I bet they have a quota that they’re looking to fill to get money into the cash strapped budget.
For New Jersey drivers, the message is clear: Keep your thumbs on the wheel and off the keypad.
Beginning Saturday, police can slap drivers with a $100 fine for talking or sending a text message on hand-held devices.
New Jersey joins four other states, including neighboring New York, where talking on a hand-held cell phone is reason enough to get pulled over. The Garden State is the first where text-messaging on the road is a primary offense, meaning police need no other reason to pull a driver over, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Pam Fischer, director of New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety, said officers will be on the lookout for telltale signs of distracted drivers – slow driving and the “cell-phone weave.”
Drivers can still use their cell phones to contact police or emergency services, and can talk at any time with a hands-free device. But crash statistics suggest that those headsets and earpieces may not make conversations in the car any safer.
posted March 1, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I wonder how they think they can enforce it.
posted March 1, 2008 at 6:07 pm
On that well-known radar trap – Interstate 195 – over to Wall and back this morning, many, many pullovers by police. More than usual? Probably not.
I’d feel better if people hung up and just drove, but this new enforcement won’t stop my 3-year-old from asking me to pick up an object he’s dropped just behind me. Or the older boys fighting.
With so many natural distractions, I can’t afford to juggled a cell phone, too.
posted March 1, 2008 at 7:01 pm
“I bet they have a quota that they’re looking to fill to get money into the cash strapped budget.”
Gee, Michelle, you’re so cynical. Do you think they would really do that in the People’s Republic of New Jersey (as my father-in-law refers to it)?
posted March 1, 2008 at 7:31 pm
“Is your father-in-law ‘pro-gun’?” she asked knowingly.
posted March 1, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I always enjoy dialing the cell phone while I am driving my car with a manual transmission. This will make things more interesting when I visit NJ this month. I will need to add in looking into the rear view mirror while I am dialing.
Looney
posted March 1, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Well, I have to take back my snide comment about the police and state that I didn’t see a single pull over all day. In fact I didn’t even see an increased presence of police officers. No wonder we’re cash strapped
posted April 29, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Have a quota is right!! But, the bad news is that everyday I go to work I see so many drivers driving and talking on cells, not even paying any attention when the light changes in their favor…And then they get all tiffed out when I honk, (must honk or they won’t move till good and ready or when their conversation is done,and I must get to work. Unbelievable!! Do people have so much to say that it cannot wait till they get home or work?