New Jersey Fines for “Driving While In-talks-icated” Highest in the US
As if you needed another reason to steer clear of New Jersey (just kidding of course, we love NJ), drivers who can’t seem to get the hang of a bluetooth headset better start taking the long way up the East Coast. As of March 1, New Jersey laws with regards to cell phone use while driving are getting an overhaul. Talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device has been illegal in New Jersey since 2004, but apparently the old laws weren’t enough of a deterrent; or tax revenues are down. Fistly, cell phone use while driving is no longer a secondary offense. According to current legislation a driver cannot be pulled over or ticketed for talking on a cell phone alone, only in conjunction with another traffic violation. From March 1 on, that’s out the window. If a cop sees you with a phone to your face while behind the wheel, game on. The monetary fine for talking while driving is also getting a nice hike, with the minimum fine for a first offense jumping from $100 to $250. Oddly, NJ legislators think that texting while driving is somehow safer than talking, as the fine for a first offense is $100. That Jawbone is looking better and better.
[Via a press release from Parrot trying to hock BT car kits]
I see new york not that far behind with raising the penalty.
Bout time. I’m sick of almost being rear-ended on 38 and 70 because people are too busy holding their phones to their ears.
It’s about time. I see way too many artards Yaking on the phone on my way to work every morning.
I agree that NY is not far behind.
AZ should do it too i can count the times on one hand i have been almost hit on my bike by som idiot tslking on thr phone not paying attention to his surroundinings or people almost causing accidents cause they don’t keep ther eyes on the road. the construction company i worked at had a policy not to take or place calls unless your pulled off the road
i can’t tell you how many times i have seen NYPD officers drive past me while gabbing on their cell phone without a headset.
ROFL @ Galv on his bike. You almost got ran over sweetheart? It sucks it was almost that way you wouldn’t spell like crap anymore
cellformer
This is crazy/
BlueAnt Supertooth Light!!
BlueAnt Z9!!
ive been hit buy stupid people too
THESE LAWS ARE COMPLETELY UNFOUNDED.
I do research in this field at my university, and it’s not the act of holding a a cell phone to your face that’s dangerous!!! Talking on a headset has the same driving performance decrements as holding the phone. The act of talking to someone not in the car is what does it.
Look it up, this is confirmed by multiple studies.
@ Galvatron,
Does that mean you hit yourself?
I hate the whole concept of having a blinking piece stuck in my ear. ahhhh now wtf am I going to do?
Galvatron you are becoming a phenomenon on BGR. Did you ever hear of internet etiquette?
The less people drive and chat/text the better. There are people being killed every month because people think they have the right/ability to drive without concentrating on driving.
The higher the fines the better.
lol time out… first of all. if you get into an accident because you were talking on your phone. Then youre an idiot, sorry lol. (lol knock on wood) youre probably one of those people who cant walk and chew gum at the same time.
second of all… new jersey is indeed one of the worse places in the country, if not the world. Its no wonder people fold themselves while driving and talking on the phone. THE STREETS ARE UNEVEN IN NJ!! in alot of place there isnt even paint on the damn road! And it wouldnt be SO bad, if everybody else didnt act like they were SO damn confused by the fact that there are hardly any lines on the damn streets! lol. i wont even get started on the toll roads or the “turn pike” situation, whever the hell a “turn pike” is lol.
Not only that, but i really did think the smell and the dirt of NJ was all made up. NOPE! and the funny part is, NY aint NO better!!! NJ is the BY PRODUCT of NY. by the time the trash and smell get to NJ its 10 times worse. by NY is the pits as well.
I grew up on 53rd and Hoover in los angeles, and i really thought that place was bad for a long time. I was SUPER WRONG! LA is a complete cake walk compared to NY, NJ, and Newark especially. thats real.
Its no wonder east coasters are on one constantly like they are. i would be too if i was from out there.
my sincerest condolences lol. i feel for yall out there lol.
@ galvatron.
GODS SPEED!!! i stayed in az for 15 months. taking a fresh green light out there is playing with your LIFE!!! everybody runs red lights out there, its terrifying lol. lol i almost got creamed by a cop car out there that ran a light with its sirens off. lol i hate phx too as a matter fact lol.
Rear ended? I’m sick of almost being killed while WALKING. I cant tell you how many times Ive almost been killed by some Mom in an SUV who cant handle driving straight and talking on the phone at the same time.
It sounds like a pain in the ass to some but honestly, if Cell phones are going to become such huge parts of our society, a law like this just makes sense.
HA!! You think you’ve all got it bad come to the west coast and see our cops, yesterday i passed a cop in a Charger talking on the phone with one hand and typing on the laptop with his left. NO HANDS ON THE WHEEL and I just watched him drive away as he passed me no hands at all.
While I think it might be good idea, maybe they Should ban mcdonalds, Burger king and Wendys drive throughs, people eating, changing radio stations or women adjusting makeup i think cause more accidents then talking on cell phones
my son had to pay a 125.00 find in court this week because north carolina has a new law that if you use a cell phone while driving and under eighteen it is against the law and i never heard of it until he got the ticket.
jerry
Darwin hasn’t gotten Galv yet…
Wait… Galvatron, what the hell kind of construstion company requires you to pull your bike over to use your phone? Or better yet, is it a company bike since appearantly you are on the job while riding it.
@ SIn
Paper route, perhaps?
It amazes me that anyone believes these laws are intended in any way to make our lives better. Petty politicians are finding new ways to steal your money without calling it taxes. They have turned the police force into third party debt collectors. in case no one noticed our kids won’t be able to pay these fines. the fine and the court cost will be more than a car payment or a half month’s rent. When are we all going to realize the government is not in business to solve our problems. They are in the money collecting business. The only difference
between the protection rackets of long ago and today is politicians have made it legal.
In Washington State, starting on July 1st, its a $285 ticket to be talking on your phone while driving (w/o the use of speaker phone or a handsfree headset).
you are a idiot….