'U Drive, U Text, U Pay': Police In New Jersey Cracking Down On Distracted Driving
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- A distracted driver crackdown is underway in New Jersey, with police across the state taking part. And they're looking for more than just people on hand-held cell phones.
Distracted driving could be combing your hair, reading the newspaper and even talking to a passenger. But on Monday, officers in Cherry Hill were laser-focused on cell phones.
The signs of distracted driving were all too obvious as Eyewitness News witnessed in traffic stop after traffic stop.
Officer John Domingo has been with the Cherry Hill police force for 11 years. He illustrated the science of a driver whose attention has wandered.
"Quick look up, quick look down, quick look up, quick look down, that's a pretty good tell somebody is texting," Domingo said.
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Monday is Day One of a crackdown on distracted driving in New Jersey.
"We almost equate it to someone who's driving under influence, right," Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan said. "People are taking their eyes off the road, it can cause the loss of life if they're not paying attention."
In the first traffic stop of the day, police said a driver had his phone in hand.
"Want to educate him on that, even though he's using a cell phone as GPS, it doesn't make it acceptable," Domingo said.
The driver was apologetic and left with a warning. But in the next encounter, police say the driver was misleading.
"She says she raised the phone up to plug the charger in to then put the phone back down in the cup holder and I feel that's far-fetched," Domingo said. "Admission of holding the phone up in front of her face while operating vehicle is essentially a violation, it's a distraction."
And she got a summons for as much as $400.
"In this instance, the best course of action would be not get too confrontational, but issue appropriate summons and maybe when cooler heads prevail, there's some self-reflection that maybe it's not the best time to do that," Domingo said.
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The driver even told the officer she sees people on their phones too frequently.
"I see it all the time, this is why I'm out her today," Domingo said. "Trying to see as many people as I can and speak with as many people as I can."
Penalties for distracted driving are heavy; a first offense ranges from $200 to $400, $400 to $600 for a second offense and a third could cost as much as $800 and three points on your license and a possible suspension. The program runs through April 21.