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New Jersey Drivers Ignoring Cell Phone Ban

Poll shows texting while driving increasing

March 5, 2010

• Second National Distracted Driving Summit Set • New Jersey Drivers Ignoring Cell Phone Ban • Feds Unveil Sample Bill Banning Texting While Driving • Study Claims Cellphone Bans Don't Reduce Crashes • Feds Ban Texting by Commercial Drivers • Driving Wrecks Conversation • Federal Agencies Team Up To Combat Distracted Driving • Congress Takes On Distracted Driving Prevention • Obama Administration To Combat Distracted Driving • Survey: U.S. Drivers Say Texting While Driving Should be Banned • New Insight into Cell Phone Use and Driving Distraction • Phonegate: Feds Withheld Data on Cell Phone Dangers • Using A Cellphone? Make Sure to Stand Still • New Jersey Steps Up Cell Phone Law Enforcement • Talking While Walking May Put Kids At Risk • Car Key Jams Teen Drivers' Cell Phones • Feds Withhold Cell Phone Safety Data, Suit Charges • Cell Phone Conversations Distract Drivers, Study Finds • Texting Behind The Wheel Like Driving Drunk Or High • California Motorists Cope With New Hands-Free Law • More Teens Using Cell Phones While Driving • Drivers Impaired Just by Listening to Cell Phone • Driving While Phoning Gums Up Traffic, Study Finds • Study: Drivers Using Cell Phones As Bad As Drunks • Survey: Outlaw Cell Phone Use While Driving • Cell Phone No. 1 Driver Distraction • More Drivers Talking While Driving • Listening, Talking, Driving Don't Mix • Poll Finds Motorists Irked At Other Drivers • Crash Risk Four Times Higher When Driver is On the Phone • Cell-Phoning Drivers Get Failing Grade from Johns Hopkins • Study: Eight Percent of Drivers Are On the Phone • Feds Say Hands-Free Cell Phone Ineffective • Hands-Free Phones Safer, Study Finds • Make a Call, Get a Ticket --- Cell Phone Hazards • Study Finds Little Short-Term Cell Phone Health Risk • Cell Phones Linked to Bee Decline • Mayo Clinic Finds Cell Phones Safe in Hospitals • Origin of California Cell Phone Fire Disputed • Cell Phone Ignites, California Man Severely Burned • Study: Cell Phone Users Have Lower Sperm Counts • Study: Drivers Using Cell Phones As Bad As Drunks • Doctors Warn Against Cell Phone Use In Storms • Cell Phones Cleared in Gas Fire • Sleep With Your Cell Phone? Don't Forget the Dog • Feds Warn of Cell Phone Battery Hazards • Risk of Cell Phone Explosions Growing • Cell Phone Catches Fire • Battery Recall • Traffic Tickets • Gasoline Fires • Radiation Fears --- • Consumer Complaints

New Jersey has a law prohibiting drivers from texting or talking on their cell phones while behind the wheel, but it's clear many have not gotten the message.

The evidence is in the number of tickets state police officers have written over the last two years. In the past 23 months, 224,725 citations -- an average of 9,770 a month -- have been issued to motorists for violating the state's cell phone law.

"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," said Pam Fischer, New Jersey's Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety. "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."

At least 1.4 million crashes nationwide are caused each year by drivers talking on their cell phones, while a minimum of 200,000 crashes are caused by drivers texting behind the wheel, according to the National Safety Council.

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," said Robert A. Coulton, President of the New Jersey Chiefs of Police Association.

Driving while texting increasing

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, the first year the ban was in effect.

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," 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."

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