We see it every day–people driving with one hand and talking or texting on a cell phone with the other. The number of accidents caused every year by drivers distracted by cell phone usage nationwide and in our state is staggering. A 2022 article in the Journal of Safety Research reported that “Distracted driving [which includes things like eating and drinking as well as cell phone use] was involved in 9% of all fatal crashes in the United States over the period 2012- 2018, with almost 23,000 people dying from those crashes. The State of New Jersey alone experienced 80,000 crashes in 2012-2016 due to distracted driving.”

We urge our legislature to toughen the penalties for these violations. Presently, conviction for such violation carries with it a fine of $200 to $400 and a penalty of three points for a third offense occurring within ten years of a second offense and all subsequent offenses thereafter. We believe people must be convinced that it is totally unacceptable to drive while using a cell phone. Accordingly, we recommend that mandatory imposition of three points for a first offense would likely bring about an immediate decrease in the number of such offenses. The saving of lives and prevention of injuries is at stake.

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