NHTSA’s national campaign to address distracted driving takes place April 3-10. It targets drivers aged 18 to 34 who, according to NHTSA data, are more likely to die in distraction-affected crashes than any other age group. The U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign, now in its ninth year, is supported by a $5 million national media buy in English and Spanish on television, radio and digital platforms.
In New Jersey, police departments will be participating in a month-long campaign during April, joining national partners in a targeted crackdown on drivers who engage in conduct that takes their focus off the road, such as texting or talking on the phone.
To assist with New Jersey’s “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” enforcement efforts, HTS has provided 157 law enforcement agencies throughout the state with grants totaling $1,168,230 that pay for saturation patrols during the month-long campaign. In 2022, the distracted driving crackdown yielded more than 8,000 citations in New Jersey for cell phone use or texting, and almost 4,000 for careless driving.
Since 2007, drivers 16 to 24 years old have been distracted by devices at higher rates than other drivers, but we're all at risk for distracted-driving crashes. Consider these tips for safe driving:
- If you must send or receive a text, pull over to a safe location and park your car first.
- If you have passengers, appoint a “designated texter” to handle all your texting.
- If you can’t resist the temptation to look at your phone, keep it in the trunk.