N.J. considers forming task force on distracted driving

New Jersey lawmakers are considering creating a task force to make recommendations on how to deal with distracted driving.

Washington Township resident Mike Kellenyi says his 18-year-old daughter was killed last year by a distracted driver. He’s hoping the task force could find ways to reduce these sorts of crashes.

“Kids don’t care anymore. They don’t realize what happens when you take your eyes off the road,” Kellenyi said Friday. “So with the task force you want to make, we study and figure out what we can do at the schools with the kids and whatever it would be, maybe other parents wouldn’t go through what I’m going through because it is a nightmare.”

The state has increased penalties for texting and cellphone use while driving, but sponsors of the task force legislation say a comprehensive approach is needed to better educate drivers about the risks of being distracted while behind the wheel.

A New Jersey Senate committee has advanced the legislation to create the task force. The bill now will go before the full Senate for a vote