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Summary The new law has been imposed in response to three fatal pedestrian-related accidents.
A town in New Jersey has passed a new law that makes it illegal to compose or read text messages on a mobile device while walking on public sidewalks. Ft. Lee, New Jersey police will issue citations and $85 fines to anyone that violates the new law.The new law is in response to three fatal, pedestrian-related accidents that have occurred in the town of 35,000 already this year. The police department has already issued 117 tickets to violators since the grace period for the new law expired in March.Unsurprisingly, many residents feel that the $85 fine is a bit high, and arent totally on board with the new law.The use of cellphones while driving has long been under criticism, and there are laws on the books in nearly every state that ban or restrict the use of mobile devices when behind the wheel. This new law in Ft. Lee is the first instance where those restrictions have been extended to pedestrians.
