New Jersey drivers with long commutes speed, drive distracted: report

Madison, NJ – New Jersey drivers who have a long commute are more likely to speed and drive distracted by talking on a cell phone or texting, according to a study from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind.

Although 25 percent of New Jersey drivers say they regularly travel more than 70 mph on state highways, drivers with long commutes (39 percent) were more likely to speed than those with shorter commutes (22 percent). More than 60 percent who drive 20 or more miles to work will speed “most of the time” or “often,” compared with 53 percent who have shorter commutes and 42 percent who have no commute, according to the Aug. 15 report.

Additionally, nearly 20 percent of long commuters talk on a handheld cell phone “very often” or “sometimes” while driving, but less than 10 percent of those who do not drive to work do the same. Commuters of both short (32 percent) and long (31 percent) distances were more likely to text and drive than those who do not commute to work (16 percent), the report found.

The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety co-sponsored the study.