The New Jersey State Legislature is currently considering the passage of two bills that will increase penalties for phone-related vehicular offenses. The more stringent laws apply to both texting and talking while driving, as the prevalence of these crimes has become progressively problematic. Bill S69 was unanimously passed by the Senate on June 25, 2012 and would dramatically raise fines for talking or texting violations. Under this new law, drivers would pay $200, $400, and $600 for their first, second, and third offenses, respectively. The third offense would also include a 90-day driver’s license suspension, applied on a case-by-case basis by the sentencing judge. In addition, drivers would face three (3) points on their licenses for third offenses as well as any offenses thereafter. An accompanying bill in the Assembly has not moved forward.
Continue Reading Harsher Laws Considered Against Text-and-Talk Driving