New Jersey's annual texting-while-driving ticket blitz begins on Monday. Last year, police issued 13,146 citations for cell phone use or texting during the three-week campaign.

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New Jersey's annual campaign targeting distracted driving - particularly those texting behind the wheel - kicks off Monday with 207 police departments and law enforcement agencies receiving more than $1 million in grants for additional patrols to issue tickets.

The three-week "U Text. U Drive. U Pay." campaign runs through April 21 and is timed to coincide with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. New Jersey was one of four states to receive federal grants this year.

Distracted driving fines in New Jersey range from $200 to $400 for a first offense, and can lead to a license suspension beyond a third offense.

During the 2018 enforcement campaign, New Jersey police departments issued 13,146 tickets for cell phone use or texting and 5,697 for careless driving. Police also issued 6,538 speeding tickets and 5,712 seat belt citations during the targeted enforcement.

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The definition of distracted driving is broader than just texting while driving, "but, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and

cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction," according to the state. Tickets, however, can be issued for:

Using a cell phone or smartphone

Eating and drinking

Talking to passengers

Grooming

Reading, including maps

Using a navigation system

Watching a video

Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

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Cell phone usage and texting while driving contributed to over 804,000 crashes in #NewJersey from 2011 to 2015; we are here to remind you that incoming messages or calls can wait until you’ve made it to your destination safely. #PutItDownJustDrive pic.twitter.com/gjX2fjrpZ3 — New Jersey DHTS (@NJTrafficSafety) March 20, 2019

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Driver inattention was listed as a contributing factor in more than half of the crashes in New Jersey in 2016 and was a contributing factor in more than 740,000 crashes from 2012-2016, according to the state.

"This is clearly one of the most critical traffic safety issues that we face today,” New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety Director Eric Heitmann said in a statement. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2016 alone, 3,450 people were killed in distracted driving crashes and an estimated 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted drive.”

The following police departments and law enforcement agencies have received grants for additional patrols during the 2019 distracted driving campaign:

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ATLANTIC COUNTY

Absecon $5,500

Atlantic City $5,500

Egg Harbor Twp. $5,500

Galloway $5,500

Hamilton $5,500

Hammonton $5,500

Northfield $5,500

Stockton University $5,500

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BERGEN COUNTY

Bergenfield $5,500

Carlstadt $5,500

Closter $5,500

Edgewater $5,500

Elmwood Park $5,500

Fair Lawn $5,500

Fairview $5,500

Fort Lee $5,500

Franklin Lakes $5,500

Garfield $5,500

Glen Rock $5,500

Harrington Park $5,500

Haworth $5,500

Leonia $5,500

Lodi $5,500

Lyndhurst $5,500

Montvale $5,500

Oradell $5,500

Palisades Interstate Parkway $5,500

Palisades Park $5,500

Paramus $5,500

Ridgefield Park $5,500

Ridgewood $5,500

South Hackensack $5,500

Teaneck $5,500

Upper Saddle River $5,500

Woodcliff Lake $5,500

Wyckoff $5,500.00

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BURLINGTON COUNTY

Bordentown $5,500

Burlington County Sheriff $5,500

Burlington Twp. $5,500

Cinnaminson $5,500

Delanco $5,500

Delran $5,500

Lumberton $5,500

Medford PD $5,500

Mount Laurel PD $5,500

New Hanover PD $5,500

Pemberton PD $5,500

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CAMDEN COUNTY

Barrington $5,500

Bellmawr $5,500

Berlin Twp. $5,500

Brooklawn $5,500

Camden County Metro $5,500

Cherry Hill $5,500

Chesilhurst $5,500

Gloucester Twp. $5,500

Haddon Heights $5,500

Lawnside $5,500

Lindenwold $5,500

Merchantville $5,500

Pine Hill $5,500

Stratford $5,500

Winslow $5,500

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CAPE MAY COUNTY

Cape May Lower $5,500

Wildwood $5,500

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CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Bridgeton $5,500

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ESSEX COUNTY

Belleville $5,500

Bloomfield $5,500

Fairfield $5,500

Maplewood $5,500

Millburn $5,500

Montclair $5,500

Nutley $5,500

West Orange $5,500

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GLOUCESTER COUNTY

Clayton $2,200

Deptford $6,600

East Greenwich $2,200

Franklin $2,200

Glassboro $6,600

Greenwich $1,760

Harrison $2,200

Logan $2,200

Mantua $5,500

Monroe $3,740

Paulsboro $2,200

Pitman $2,200

Washington $6,600

West Deptford $4,400

Westville $2,200

Woodbury Heights $4,180

Woodbury $6,600

Woolwich $2,420

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HUDSON COUNTY

Bayonne $5,500

Jersey City $5,500

North Bergen $5,500

West New York $5,500

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HUNTERDON COUNTY

Clinton $5,500

Clinton Twp. $5,500

Flemington $6,600

Franklin $4,950

High Bridge $2,750

Lambertville $1,375

Lebanon $2,750

Raritan $1,760

Readington $2,200

West Amwell $3,300

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MERCER COUNTY

East Windsor $5,500

Hamilton $5,500

Hightstown $5,500

Hopewell $5,500

Lawrence $5,500

West Windsor $5,500

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MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Dunellen $5,500

Edison $5,500

Middlesex $5,500

North Brunswick $5,500

Old Bridge $5,500

Piscataway $5,500

South Brunswick $5,500

Spotswood $5,500

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MONMOUTH COUNTY

Allentown $5,500

Asbury Park $5,500.

Atlantic Highlands $5,500

Deal $5,500

Eatontown $5,500

Englishtown $5,500

Freehold Twp. $5,500

Highlands $5,500.00

Holmdel $5,500

Keansburg $5,500

Keyport $5,500

Manalapan $5,500

Matawan $5,500

Middletown $5,500

Neptune $5,500

Red Bank $5,500

Sea Girt $5,500

Spring Lake Heights $5,500

Union Beach $5,500

West Long Branch PD $5,500

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MORRIS COUNTY

Boonton Township $5,500

Chester Twp. $5,500

Florham Park $5,500

Hanover $5,500

Harding $5,500

Jefferson $5,500

Mendham $5,500

Mendham Twp. $5,500

Morris County Park Police $5,500

Morris Plains $5,500

Morris Twp. $5,500

Mount Olive $5,500

Parsippany-Troy Hills $5,500

Randolph $5,500

Rockaway $5,500

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OCEAN COUNTY

Barnegat $5,500

Bay Head $5,500

Brick $5,500

Harvey Cedars $5,500

Jackson $5,500

Lakehurst $5,500

Manchester $5,500

Ocean Gate $5,500

Ocean $5,500

Point Pleasant Beach $5,500

Point Pleasant $5,500

Seaside Heights $5,500

Ship Bottom $5,500

Stafford $5,500

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PASSAIC COUNTY

Bloomingdale $5,500

Clifton$5,500

Haledon $5,500

Hawthorne $5,500

Little Falls $5,500

Passaic $5,500

Woodland Park $5,500

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SALEM COUNTY

Pennsville $5,500

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SOMERSET COUNTY

Bedminster $3,300

Bernards $4,400

Bernardsville $3,300

Bound Brook $5,500

Branchburg $6,600

Bridgewater $3,300

Far Hills $5,500

Franklin $11,000

Green Brook $4,400

Hillsborough $5,500

Manville $4,400

Montgomery $5,500

North Plainfield $2,750

Peapack Gladstone $6,600

Raritan $4,950

Somerset County Sheriff $4,950

Somerville $2,200

South Bound Brook $3,520

Warren $4,400

Watchung $3,520

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SUSSEX COUNTY

Hamburg $5,500

Sparta $5,500

Vernon $5,500

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UNION COUNTY

Berkeley Heights $5,500

Cranford $5,500

Elizabeth $5,500

Hillside $5,500

Linden $5,500

Union $5,500

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WARREN COUNTY

Mansfield $5,500

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