In The News

New Jersey police issued 120,000 cell-phone tickets in one year

Police in New Jersey have written about 120,000 tickets since the use of hand-held cell phones and texting by motorists was banned March 1, 2008.

Highway Traffic Safety Director Pam Fischer stated in a news release that more than 1,800 traffic accidents were caused in the state in 2007 because of the use of hand-held cell phones. In the same year, 1,400 accidents were blamed on hands-free cell phone use.

Although that’s less than 1 percent of all crashes that year, Fischer told The Star-Ledger it’s a growing problem, especially with young drivers used to being wirelessly connected at all times.