WMBCTV: Fair Lawn PD Joins Statewide Crackdown on Distracted Driving

“U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” - A statewide campaign, running through the month of April, aimed at cracking down on motorists who risk lives by using a cellphone while behind the wheel. Here in Fair Lawn, authorities are contributing their efforts by stepping up and cracking down on distracted drivers in the local area.

“You’d be surprised how many people will drive past an officer with a phone right up to their ear,” said Sgt. Eric Eleshewich, Fair Lawn Police Department. “Yes, there will be officers issuing summonses but our main goal is to raise awareness to let people know to put down the phone, pay attention and get to your location safely.”

Experts say that distracted driving can take many forms, from texting to fiddling with your music playlist. Law enforcement officials say putting down your phone can save lives. 

“So the big one is the cellphone. People love texting, they love talking, they’re scrolling through social media. That’s a big one,” said Eleshewich. “It could be something simple like changing the radio or looking at your navigation, or even talking to someone that’s in your car. When you’re behind the wheel, just pay attention to what’s going on around you and pay attention to the road.”

Fair Lawn police are urging motorists to take extra precautions. They recommend putting phones away while driving, pulling over safely if you need to text, and asking passengers to handle any phone-related tasks.

“So when you’re out there, think about that you have other people out there, you have other families, other parents of children, other children, that you scrolling through your social media can wait until later because it might hurt yourself or really hurt someone else,” said Eleshewich.

For those struggling to avoid distractions, experts suggest using features like "Do Not Disturb" or putting the phone in the back of the car or glove box to limit temptation.