Law enforcement officers from the Manalapan Police Department will be
cracking down on distracted drivers during April as part of New Jersey’s UDrive. UText. UPay. enforcement campaign.
Beginning April 1 and running through the end of the month, the high visibility law enforcement initiative will target motorists who engage in dangerous distracted driving behaviors such as talking on hand-held cell phones and sending text messages while driving, according to a press release.
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on a phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in the vehicle, and tuning the controls on the stereo, entertainment or navigation system.
New Jersey is one of eight states nationally to receive dedicated federal funds this year to tackle the issue of driver distraction. The federal funding will be used for police overtime enforcement grants at the local level and a statewide multimedia public awareness campaign on this issue, according to the press release from the Manalapan Police Department.