Manalapan Police Set To Crack Down On Distracted Drivers In April

MANALAPAN, NJ — The Manalapan Police Department will crack down on distracted drivers during the month of April, according to police. The enforcement is part of the UDrive. UText. UPay. campaign in New Jersey.

The targeted enforcement begins Friday and will continue through April 30, as part of the national campaign against distracted driving.

Manalapan police will target motorists engaged in dangerous distracted driving behavior, like talking on hand-held cell phones and sending text messages while driving, said Lieutenant Kevin Dobbin.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,142 people were killed and an estimated 400,000 people were injured in distracted driving crashes in 2019.

Over the five-year period of 2015-2019, driver inattention was the most frequently cited cause of fatal and incapacitating crashes in New Jersey, accounting for more than seven times the total number of crashes cited for unsafe speed, police said.

This year, New Jersey is one of eight states to receive dedicated federal funds to combat driver distraction. Overtime patrols and enforcement of distracted driving will be increased thanks to that funding.