by Jennifer P.
Member since:
November 19, 2006

New Cell Phone Law in NJ Effective 3/1/08

February 25, 2008 01:15 PM EST
views: 1438 | comments: 38
Starting March 1, 2008 you can be pulled over just for talking on your cell phone.  If pulled over for this it will be an automatic $100 fine with no points on your licsence.  While you have not been allowed to talk on your cell phone while driving here for a while now, you could not be given a ticket for it unless you had done something else wrong too.

There are a couple of exceptions to this too.  You can do the following without getting pulled over:
  1. Report an emergency.
  2. If you are in danger.
  3. And you can also use an earpiece or bluetooth headset to use your cell phone.
These are the only times you can use a cell and drive at the same time.  If you are seen on the phone or using the speakerphone, you will be pulled over and get the $100 fine.  So all of you living in or visiting New Jersey, bring your earpieces or bluetooth headsets if you want to use your cell phone while driving! . . . . or better yet, don't use it all all while driving :)

It would be nice too if you could call the cops on those you see using them while driving too.  I can't tell you how many times I have almost been hit by someone running a stop sign while talking on their cell phone.  But then again, if you use your cell to call the cops on someone else whose is using theirs, it kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?
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Comments: 38

☀ Aunt Shanny Feb 25, 2008, 1:20pm EST
They should do that here as well.
debra g. Feb 25, 2008, 1:28pm EST
I feel that law should be everwhere!Alot of people can not drive and talk on the phone I have almost be hit by people on the phone.
Chasity S. Feb 25, 2008, 1:30pm EST
I think it should be here too!
Sherry W. Feb 25, 2008, 1:37pm EST
Woo hoo. Good for NJ!

I heard something ridiculous the other day... I guess CA is considering legislation to ban TEXTING while driving. How the heck can you text and drive at the same time?! Craziness. It's all craziness.
Ashley B. Feb 25, 2008, 1:53pm EST
Whats wrong with just a plain speakerphone? I'm not in NJ, but the new fords have Sync in them. It's like a speakerphone. Just curious. Some older people and others also dont have phones with bluetooth Hmm... 500 bucks for a new phone, or 100 bucks getting caught on speakerphone.... I dont think it will deter people at all.
Amy C. Feb 25, 2008, 2:16pm EST
This law has been in effect here in Connecticut for over a year and in all honesty it has not helped anything. People are still doing it , and just as many wrecks if not more. Instead of talking now they are texting which I consider worse because it takes more concentration away from the road. People are nuts to drive around all the time with their cell phones at their ear.

I hope this law works better in NJ than here.
This was a great article thanks for sharing it!
Kimber L. Feb 25, 2008, 2:18pm EST
well coming from someone who has been rearended by someone talking on their phone and not paying attention to the road AT ALL, I am all for this law!!! You can still talk if using an earpiece so I think anyone against it can deal with it! LOL
Matt L. Feb 25, 2008, 3:00pm EST
I like the idea of the law, but people with ear pieces or bluetooth are just as likely to not be paying attention. Even if your not on the phone, with ear pieces in you may not hear emergency vechicals coming towards you.

I say make people take training courses and test them on how to drive while talking or texting on phones. If you can't pass doing both at the same time, well then you don't get too. If your caught driving while on phone or texting and you don't have the right permit then you loose your license.
Nancy S. Feb 25, 2008, 4:01pm EST
I grounded my grandson not long ago for texting while driving. If it happend again, he'll loose his phone for 6 months. He's 19 but as long as he lives with me he has to follow my rules.
Kori J. Feb 25, 2008, 4:17pm EST
I think people who text while driving are absolutely insane; as for phones, I agree with the law but don't see how it will ever really be enforced-like the seatbelt laws, right?
j - Frugal Mom - r. Feb 25, 2008, 4:59pm EST
I wish they would do this here in Florida as well, it is so dangerous. When I lived in NJ a few years ago, they already had this law in some of the Northern counties.
Vikki M. Feb 25, 2008, 6:40pm EST
I just hope that the cops actually pay attention and pull people over for this. EVERY day that I drive to and from work I see at least half a dozen people chatting as they drive with the cell to their ears.
Carol Lloyd Feb 25, 2008, 8:45pm EST
whats the difference between the ear piece and a speaker phone just curiou as I dont own a cell phone.
Carolyn G. Feb 26, 2008, 12:09am EST
That law is in effect here and hasn't done anything. I see people driving around yakking on their phones and driving like idiots every single time I go out. Also, there have been a number of studies done that show that talking hands free is just as distracting as holding the phone to your ear. Either way you're paying attention to your conversation and not to the road and your driving.

Trust me people. Not one of you is so important that the world will come to an end if you turn off your phone while you're driving. I know that is a shocking concept but believe it or not the world has gone on for thousands of years without those things.
Sarah (I want points) Feb 27, 2008, 2:32pm EST
Interesting. I'll have to remember that if I'm ever in NJ.
denise e Feb 27, 2008, 9:04pm EST
it really is a safety issue. i am glad that more states are making it illegal.


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Karolyn Q. Feb 28, 2008, 5:32am EST
It should be the law everywhere.

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elaine laflamme Feb 28, 2008, 8:49am EST
I saw a bumper sticker that goes with this,,,,,I wonder how you'll drive with that cell phone up your a--
Sherry W. Feb 28, 2008, 6:49pm EST
I suspect that the thinking wrt not disallowing the use of hands-free devices is that hands-free devices still allow the driver to have physical control over the car - eg, two hands on the wheel. They may not be mentally paying attention, but two hands are better than one, I guess.
necee t. Mar 2, 2008, 12:58am EST
i think this is a good idea... i've almost been hit several times by people not paying attention while on their cell phone... i hope they catch lots of people ...
thanks for the article... Blessings...
The Red Headed Witch of Gather G. Mar 2, 2008, 1:33am EST
I think that's a great law to enact
Edward W. Mar 2, 2008, 3:36am EST
Here in California, a new law regarding cell phone usage, while driving, just went into effect. I believe that it just outlaws usage by teenage drivers, including text messaging.
I see this law as improving road safety. Teenage drivers are statistically the most dangerous. In addition, cell phone usage by any driver increases the risk of a traffic accident occurring.
It's a start. Yes, this reduces the public freedom, but public safety is important too.
Amanda "middle of nowhere" C. Mar 2, 2008, 6:58am EST
We don't have a law in Tennessee, but I suspect we will get one soon. I think it's a good thing. this is a case where public safety clearly overrides personal freedom...and I'll admit to talking on my cell phone when I'm driving.
Shannon R. Mar 2, 2008, 2:04pm EST
Great info. I dont hae a cell phone but I couldnt concentrate to drive if I did use one anyway.
Shannon R. Mar 2, 2008, 2:05pm EST
This to me is actually a good law as it will cut down on accidents!
JoAnn C. Mar 2, 2008, 9:06pm EST
they put a similar law into effect in Connecticut a couple of years ago. It doesn't stop people from talking on their phones without some sort of hands free device.
vickey w Mar 2, 2008, 10:21pm EST
I think it should be a law everywhere. It wont be a law until the year 2510 as we are last in everything here. Its the truth.
Kylee S. Mar 5, 2008, 3:29pm EST
I am not sure of the cellphone laws in CT, but I think that all states should have these laws and they should apply to the cops as well.
Audrey F. Mar 5, 2008, 11:43pm EST
I'm not sure, but I think this law is in effect or going to be in effect in California as well. At least I know I've heard talk about it on the news. I find it impossible to drive and be on the phone anyway! And I really don't like driving where people are driving near me while on their cell phones, because it's very obvious how much they are not paying attention to the road.
nicole g. Mar 6, 2008, 11:17pm EST
I am introuble then- so is Jason! I guess we better get earpieces before sunday-
I only heard about this last night when I was on the phone w/ Jason- we was talking to me and a cop was coming towards him
Amanda "middle of nowhere" C. Mar 8, 2008, 1:36am EST
Cool new icon!
Cortney R. Mar 30, 2008, 11:39pm EDT
I think that it's great they made that law. I think they need to make that here also. The only problem is that, even with an ear piece (hands free) you are still distracted by the conversation your having and more likely to cause an accident or something while driving.
♥ Di ☮ ~ extreme spitfire! May 6, 2008, 6:44pm EDT
I,like the other CT folk above,have seen NO difference in cell phone use since the law was enacted.
People are getting damned fast at dropping their hand to their lap when they see the police,though!
I hope eventually all cars will have some sort of chip that will disable the cell phone when the key is in the ignition.
If the idiots won't behave...MAKE them behave! :-)
♥ Di ☮ ~ extreme spitfire! Sep 23, 2008, 1:15pm EDT
How did this article get 1155 views and only 35 comments?

mindboggling...
edna r. Sep 25, 2008, 5:39am EDT
I don't think people should talk and drive at all! California law is about the same as yours.
Kathy D. Oct 23, 2008, 12:47pm EDT
I hope this has cut down on accidents!
Carol V. Dec 28, 2008, 3:05pm EST
St. Louis city has this law too, but they don't enforce it.
jeni e. Jan 8, 2009, 4:20pm EST
I think it is a great law....has anyone of you ever lost a loved one or a friend due to someone's irresponsibility of using a cell phone while driving? Any conversation can wait until you are pulled off the road, safely. Two young women, one of them a mother were killed last year due to a driver using a cell phone.....they were rear ended. The young man who did it is now serving 25 to life..............think before you dial.

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