New Bill Could Redefine 'Distracted Driving' In New Jersey
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - A bill making its way through the New Jersey legislature could drastically change what passes for "distracted driving" in the Garden State.
The Assembly Transportation Committee passed a measure that would expand the current ban on using hand-held cell phones behind the wheel to cover almost anything police could call a distraction.
The sponsor intentionally allows for such broad interpretation as an issue of safety, but some, like the National Motorists Association, think it's going way too far.
"Just because somebody is observed to do something, doesn't mean that they are going to be distracted, nor does it mean the vehicle is going to be operated in an unsafe manner," National Motorists Association spokesman Steve Carrellas says. "It just makes no sense and is absolutely useless."
And the bill has a tough road ahead. There's about a month left in the current legislative term, and the entire Assembly needs to vote on it.
Besides, there is no version even introduced into the State Senate.
