Full Notification

WEEKLY ENHANCED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

The South River Police Department provides the public with weekly notice of areas targeted for enhanced traffic enforcement.

While traffic enforcement efforts take place on a daily basis throughout the borough, these areas and issues will receive additional focus this week:

Location: Kamm Avenue
Issue: Speeding

Location: Devoe Street Avenue
Issue: Speeding

Location: Burton Avenue
Issue: Speeding

Why the advanced warning? The South River Police Department believes that addressing traffic violations requires a multi-faceted approach. In addition to enforcement, raising public awareness through announcements such as these goes a long way towards preventing violations and contributing to the safety and well-being or our residents.

Locations targeted for enhanced traffic enforcement are areas that have been identified as having a high number of traffic violations. The locations and issues targeted vary from week to week.

U DRIVE. U TEXT. U PAY.

From April 1st thru April 21st, the South River Police Department will participate in this year's statewide distracted driving crackdown. Although our department enforces distracted driving laws year round, this annual campaign takes place during Distracted Driving Awareness month and is meant to draw additional attention to and raise awareness of distracted driving dangers.

Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic on New Jersey’s roadways. Driver inattention has been a major contributing factor in nearly 800,000 motor vehicle crashes in the state from 2010 to 2014. In New Jersey, driver inattention was listed as a contributing circumstance in 52 percent of the state’s crashes in 2015 and was listed as a contributing factor in crashes at a rate nine times higher than that of the next highest contributing factor (speed). Nationwide in 2015, 3,477 were killed and 391,000 were injured in distracted driving crashes.

To combat these troubling statistics, law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey will be using a combination of traditional and innovative strategies to crack down on motorists who text and drive. This effort is a part of the national U Drive. U Text. U Pay high visibility enforcement (HVE) campaign that combines periods of intense anti-texting enforcement coupled with advertising and media outreach to let people know about the enforcement and convince them to obey the law. U Drive. U Text. U Pay enforcement strategies include roving police patrols, spotters on highway overpasses, and stationary police vehicles prominently placed at strategic locations.

Historically, the most effective tool used to change driver behavior are targeted law enforcement campaigns, like Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket. Since their inception, these two initiatives have resulted in significant reductions in impaired driving and gains in seat belt usage, respectively.

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

• Texting

• Using a cell phone or smartphone

• Eating and drinking

• Talking to passengers

• Grooming

• Reading, including maps

• Using a navigation system

• Watching a video

• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

Information regarding New Jersey's distracted driving laws:

• It is a primary offense for a motorist to talk or text message with a hand-held wireless telephone or electronic communication device while driving.

• Use of a hand-held wireless telephone or electronic communication device includes, but is not limited to:

1) Talking or listening to another person.

2) Text messaging or sending an electronic message.

• The penalties associated with these infractions have been adjusted in New Jersey to the following:

1) First offense: $200 - $400 plus court costs

2) Second offense: $400 - $600 plus court costs

3) Subsequent offenses: $600 - $800 plus court costs, 3 motor vehicle points, possible 90 day license suspension

* Second, third and subsequent offense penalties will be applicable only to convictions that occur within the current ten-year period.

• The operator of a motor vehicle may use a hand-held wireless telephone while driving with one hand on the steering wheel only if:

1) The operator has reason to fear for his/her life or safety, or believes that a criminal act may be perpetrated against him/herself or another person.

2) The operator is using this device to report to appropriate authorities: a fire; traffic crash; serious road hazard; medical or hazardous material emergency; or another motorist who is driving in a reckless, careless or otherwise unsafe manner or who appears to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs