Crime & Safety
Hillsborough, Montgomery To Crack Down On Distracted Driving
Police throughout Somerset and Hunterdon Counties are cracking down on drivers who use their cell phones or electronics while driving.
HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — During the month of April, law enforcement agencies throughout Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, including Hillsborough, will be out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign.
“Texting and driving is illegal and dangerous yet we see it happen all the time,” said Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson.
As part of the campaign, law enforcement and Traffic Safety Advocates are teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to make sure all motorists keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.
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According to NHTSA, 3,477 people were killed and an estimated 391,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015. A 9percent increase in fatalities as compared to the previous year.
An analysis by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety of 2009-2012 data found that while more than 80 percent of drivers believed it was completely unacceptable for a motorist to text behind the wheel, more than a third of those same drivers admitted to reading text messages while operating a passenger motor vehicle themselves.
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“Do the right thing—put your phone away when you get behind the wheel. Save yourself the embarrassment and expense of getting pulled over—or more importantly, maybe save someone’s life,” said Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kerns III.
Learn more about distracted driving at www.distraction.gov.
Community groups can request a 45 to 60 minute informational presentation by contacting Christopher Rokicki at the Somerset County Prosecutors Office, by email at rokicki@co.somerset.nj.us.
Participating agencies in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties:
- Bedminster
- Bernards
- Bernardsville
- Bound Brook
- Branchburg
- Bridgewater
- Clinton (Town of)
- Delaware
- Far Hills
- Flemington
- Franklin – Hunterdon
- Franklin – Somerset
- Frenchtown
- Green Brook
- High Bridge
- Hillsborough
- Manville
- Montgomery
- North Plainfield
- Peapack Gladstone
- Raritan Borough
- Readington
- Somerville
- South Bound Brook
- Warren
- Watchung
- West Amwell
- Somerset County Sheriff’s Office
(Image via Shutterstock)
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