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New Brunswick Police Participating in Statewide Crackdown on Distracted Driving
By Chuck O'Donnell,
2024-03-28
New Brunswick Police Department will be cracking down on distracted driving, a growing safety issue that resulted in about 3,500 roadway deaths in 2021, according to federal statistics. Credits: TAPinto.net File Photo
NEW BRUNSWICK – Members of the New Brunswick Police Department will be cracking down on distracted driving, a growing safety issue that resulted in about 3,500 roadway deaths in 2021, according to the most recent federal statistics.
New Brunswick Police will participate in New Jersey’s UDrive. UText. UPay enforcement campaign throughout April.
The high-visibility law enforcement initiative will target motorists who engage in dangerous distracted driving behaviors such as talking on hand-held cell phones and sending text messages while driving.
In addition to about 3,500 deaths, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports more than 362,000 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving distracted drivers.
Distracted-driving crashes accounted for 8% of all fatal crashes, 14% of injury crashes and 13% of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021.
Seven percent of drivers 15-20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the fatal crashes.
Distracted driving is a danger to others, too. The NHTSA reported 644 non-occupants including pedestrians, pedal cyclists and others were killed in distraction-affected traffic crashes in 2021.
Distracted driving is defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving, and it can include talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system.
Texting is the most alarming distraction, considering that sending or reading a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
Distracted driving incidents can occur on highways or local roads, in urban areas or suburban areas such as nearby Westfield. TAPinto Westfield reported in December that a spate of four crashes over a few days included one that sent an electric scooter driver to the hospital.
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