New Jersey’s first lady has been ticketed in a statewide distracted driving crackdown that was ordered by her husband’s attorney general.
NJ Advance Media reports Mary Pat Christie was stopped while driving with a cellphone in her hand on April 10 in Bernardsville by a police officer assigned to the grant-funded program that targeted texting and other distracted driving.
She didn’t identify herself as Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s wife. But she did tell the officer she wasn’t making a call. The officer told her she could not have the phone in her hand while driving.
The officer told her she was getting a ticket because he was on the distracting driving grant detail.
The first lady pleaded guilty to driving with a cellphone and paid the $250 fine.
(AP)
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3 Responses
She acted correctly in interacting with the officer.
I’m impressed at how respectful the officer was. NYPD and NY State Troopers couldn’t possibly behave as decently and respectfully. The just don’t know how to.
Texting is not just a “teen” problem. There are millions of employees who seek to do work while behind the wheel. Fleet vehicles/company cars are on the road more than teen drivers. They “multi-task” becoming very distracted.
The State wants to increase fees and fines, but there is a tech way to stop these distraction. Ms. Christie, there are apps to block you using your phone when you drive. AT&T DriveMode is one example and it is FREE!
One area that is rarely discussed is that New Jersey has hundreds of State vehicles that inspectors, regulators and the agricultural department use as fleet vehicles, but they do not have the technology to diminish distracted driving. I would love to see one state lead by example and use a program, like FleetMode, to block texts, redirect incoming phone calls, and impede all other apps in the State vehicles. If we want our state roads to be safer, let’s start by making our state vehicles safer.