N.J. Distracted Driving Crackdown In April: What Could Land You A Ticket?

Eating, drinking, applying makeup, even fidgeting with the radio: all different ways a driver can be considered “distracted” while using a motor vehicle.

Police departments throughout New Jersey are ready to crackdown on distracted driving during the first three weeks of April as part of a national campaign, but it’s not just motorists using their cell phones who are being eyed by patrols.

So what does constitute distracted driving, anyway?

Of course anyone improperly using a mobile phone – if it’s not mounted or some form of an earpiece is being used – could be ticketed, with fines ranging from $200 to $400 for the first offense, to $400 to $600 for the second offense, and as much as $600 to $800 along with three motor vehicle points and a possible 90-day license suspension for a third offense.

But it’s not just cell phone use that police are looking for.

“A violation has to be observed for an officer to make a stop, but those violations can occur if a driver is trying to do too many things at once,” New Jersey State Trooper Lawrence Diehl told Patch. “Swerving, driving too slow, driving too fast: these are all reasons an officer can make a stop, and at that point it’s at the officer’s discretion to administer the proper ticket.”

So while it’s not illegal to chomp on drive-thru food or light up a cigarette while driving in New Jersey, the irresponsible driving that may occur as a result of those actions could come with a careless driving ticket.

According to New Jersey’s Division Of Highway Traffic And Safety, “distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.”

The state department lists the following as reasons to be distracted:

• Texting
• Using a cell phone or smartphone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Using a navigation system
• Watching a video
• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

“But because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction,” the DHTS said.

There is some leeway in the cell phone rule, however, if a driver is in a dire emergency or needs to call 9-1-1, that is allowed.

A bill introduced in Nov. 2013 but later stalled in the state legislature – Bill 4461 -proposed any activity not related to the operation of a motor vehicle fall under the distracted driving guidelines and subject drivers to the same penalties currently on the books for cell phone use.

“Many drivers adjust the radio, tend to their kids, whatever the case may be,” Diehl said. “And while some can do those things and continue driving, it does make it hard to focus on the road.”

Should distracted driving encompass more than just cell phone use? Tell us in the comments.