Soon New Jersey Drivers Could Get Fined for Eating While Driving

A new bill gaining traction in New Jersey could slam people with fines for doing stuff like eating, drinking, putting on makeup, or using a cellphone while driving, NJ.com reports. Drivers could face a $200–$400 fine the first time they're caught and up to an $800 fine or a suspended license for a repeat offense.

Opponents of the bill think it would be nearly impossible to enforce, because cops will have to pay very close attention to how the driver was distracted. Others think that getting a $200 fine for taking a sip of coffee on the way to work is just too extreme.

"Would [the bill] make changing the radio station or adjusting the volume illegal?" Steve Carrellas, policy and government affairs director for the local National Motorists Association chapter, asked NJ.com. "What about talking to a passenger?"

Those in support say the bill is more to change drivers' mindsets about multitasking, rather than punish people for every little thing they do behind the wheel—the same way some people instinctively buckle their seatbelt before pulling out of the driveway.

Even if the bill does go into effect, it's only a matter of time before driverless cars equipped with the ability to weigh human life take over our roadways, and we can go back to taking Snapchat videos and eating cereal behind the wheel.

Read: How High Is Too High to Drive?