LACEY – Lacey Police chief Michael DiBella said today his department will be cracking down on distracted drivers in April as part of the state’s UDrive, UText, UPay enforcement campaign.
The three-week campaign, running April 1-21, will see distracted motorists being targeted by police. Distracted drivers include those who use hand-held cell phones or text while driving.
“Distracted driving is possibly the most serious issue on our roadways today,” said Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “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 New Jersey list driver inattention as a contributing factor. Inattention causes more crashes than even speeding.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. This state campaign is modeled after similar high-visibility enforcement programs like “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
