MONMOUTH COUNTY – The Monmouth County Sheriff’s office and other county law enforcement is participating in UDrive, UText, UPay.
Patrols will be heightened as law enforcement agencies crack down on distracted drivers, namely, those using hand-held cell phones while talking or texting.
The campaign runs April 1-21.
“We have seen too many crashes on our roadways as a result of distracted driving and this campaign will hopefully raise awareness of the dangers,” Sheriff Shaun Golden said. “Texting and talking on a cell phone while driving, is irresponsible and illegal. It takes the focus off of the roads and may have deadly consequences that otherwise could be avoided.”
“Distracted driving is possibly the most serious safety issue on our roadways today,” Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, said. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2015 alone, 3,477 people were killed in distracted driving crashes and an estimated 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.”
Fifty-two percent of crashes in the state were caused by driver inattention, even more than speeding, the next leading cause.
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office has its own safe driving programs, including “Distracted Driving –Seconds that Could Change or End Your Life,” which is presented in Monmouth County schools.
