texting and driving

Distracted driving continues to be a serious problem on roadways throughout the country and, unfortunately, New Jersey is not immune.

According to the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety, in about half of the accidents reported over a five-year period, distracted driving was cited as a contributing factor. In 2021, the latest period for which statistics were available, New Jersey State Police records showed this behavior was involved in almost 200 of the fatal crashes reported that year.

In view of these sobering statistics, police departments throughout that State currently are taking part in National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a campaign intended to deter drivers from engaging in any behavior that takes their attention off of the road. To learn more about what constitutes distracted driving and the efforts behind the U Drive. U Text. U Pay campaign, read “Driver Inattention Cited in Half of Crashes on NJ Roads.”

These days it’s hard to find drivers who don’t rely on their smartphone’s navigation apps, especially when traveling along unfamiliar roads or looking for ways around traffic jams. And for good reason. These electronic guidance systems provide drivers with the clear direction they need to proceed with confidence rather than hesitantly trying to find a way out on their own and risking an accident. If you are planning to use your phone’s navigation app, though, consider activating it before pulling out of your driveway to avoid breaking any distracted driving laws.

Technically New Jersey’s ‘don’t text and drive’ laws don’t apply to opening apps on your smartphone. However, these distracted driving laws may come into play if you are required to do anything more than simply tap the screen to open your app. Read “Using A Navigation App Could Get You A $200 Ticket in NJ” to learn more.

Articles Tagged with texting and driving

Distracted Driving Remains a Major Cause of NJ Crashes

Use Your Navigation Apps Safely and Avoid A Ticket