New Jersey Says Put the Phone Away or Pay

You're driving, you just left work... and your world appears to be exploding.

Your spouse is trying to call you, the kids are texting you, and you were just chewed out by your boss at work.

What do you do?

Relax and drive. Just drive.

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Photo by Alexandre Boucher on Unsplash

New Jersey Cracks Down on Cell Phone Distracted Driving

New Jersey's Attorney General has announced a "Put the Phone Away or Pay" Campaign across the state for April.

The idea is to get drivers to stop being distracted by their mobile device.

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport says drivers should be focusing on driving, "It is dangerous to do other tasks while driving, especially using a cellphone. This campaign aims not just to enforce the laws and hold violators accountable, but also to change behaviors to prevent tragedies."

Davenport says 42% of car crashes in New Jersey in 2024 involved a distracted driver. That number resulted in 175 fatalities.

Bottom line: you can't use a handheld phone while driving in New Jersey. If you do, it's a "$200 to $400 for a first offense, $400 to $600 for a second offense, and up to $800 for subsequent violations, along with the addition of three insurance points." For each offense, you're also required to show up in court.

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

South Jersey Law Enforcement Are All In

Police departments all across the state have received grants to help fund the extra crackdown in April. As an example Atlantic City Police received over $10,000 for the program.

Other Atlantic County law enforcement departments that have received grants include: