21 Tickets Given for Cell Phone Driving in South Brunswick in 3 Weeks

South Brunswick, NJ - Here are the results of the South Brunswick police department's distracted driving campaign during the first three weeks of April.

Police departments all across New Jersey participated in the distracted driving crackdown, labeled UDrive, UText, UPay. 2016 is its third year. In South Brunswick, there were 172 police officers assigned just to monitor traffic and distracted driving from April 1 through April 21.

In total, the department issued 701 summonses, including 89 tickets for careless driving and 21 tickets to people talking on their cell phones, Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.

Number of Officer Hours: 152 hours

DWI arrests: 2

Seat Belts: 22 (1 child restraint)

Speeding: 66

Cell Phone: 21

Suspended Driver’s License: 25

Reckless Driving: 1

Careless Driving: 89

Other motor vehicle violations: 475

Total number of summons issued: 701

If 21 cell phone tickets may seem like a lot, it's actually a 40% decrease in cell phone violations from last year, said Hayducka, when police participated in the same crackdown.

“There is greater awareness by motorists of the dangers of distracted driving," he said. "We saw a 40% decrease in cell phone summonses this year as compared to last year at the same time. There are a number of factors that can distract a driver, but awareness and enforcement appear to be making progress."

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