A newly proposed bill has sparked controversy among New Jersey drivers. The legislation would disallow drivers to use their hands for any purpose beyond driving.
The distracted driving bill would mean no texting, drinking, eating, multi-taskng or doing anything that would keep a driver’s attention off the road.
CBS New York reported that the bill would also widen a police officer’s ability to decide what is considered distracting. Police can currently write tickets for distracted driving which leads to negligent behavior- such as running a stop light. But with the new bill in place, officials would be able to pull over individuals who appear distracted, before they even make a driving error.
While some argue that the bill isn’t necessary, statistics from the federal government show a major link between fatalities and distracted driving. In 2014, about 3,000 out of 400,000 distracted driving accidents ended in death.
New Jersey State Assemblyman John Wisnieski is behind the bill that intends to improve driver safety and save lives.
He explained, “There are 3,000 people who didn’t make it home for reasons that are entirely preventable. Those reasons are keeping your eye on the road.”
Violators of the proposed bill would be fined $200-$400 for the first offense; $400-$600 for the second offense; and $600-$800 and a suspended license for a third offense.