N.J. FINES DRIVERS ON CELL PHONES:

New Jersey’s ban on cell phone use by drivers went into full effect on July 1, but police still can’t pull somebody over simply for chattering away while going down the road. Motorists talking on hand-held cell phones while behind the wheel could be fined up to $250, but only if they are stopped for another driving infraction. That has some questioning the effectiveness of the law. State officials said the measure is intended as a starting point for getting drivers to eliminate a potentially deadly distraction. “It’s a human behavior issue,'” said Roberto Rodriguez, of the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “We want to analyze driver behavior to see if making it tougher is necessary.” He compared the cell phone measure to a state law requiring use of seat belts, which was changed from a secondary offense to a primary offense, and now allows police to stop motorists for not wearing one. That change was made because statistics showed that 2 of every 10 drivers on New Jersey roads still weren’t buckling up. New Jersey is the second state to outlaw driver use of hand-held cell phones. It is also prohibited in New York, where police can stop motorists for talking on the phone even if no other driving infraction took place.

Topics Personal Auto New Jersey