The Ocean City Police Department will celebrate National Distracted Driving Month with a zero-tolerance campaign for the first three weeks of April.
The department announces such campaigns in advance to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to encourage drivers to comply.
Ocean City will join the national U Drive. U Text. U Pay. program from April 1 to April 21, cracking down on drivers who talk on hand-held mobile phones, send text messages and engage in other distracted driving practices, including:
- Eating and drinking
- Grooming
- Reading — including maps
- Using a navigation system
- Watching a video
- Adjusting a radio, CD or MP3 player
A 2013 survey from the Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll suggests 72 percent of respondents say they "very often" see people driving and talking on a hand-held cell phone and 40 percent "very often" see drivers texting.
In New Jersey, talking on a hand-held cellphone or texting are primary offenses.
