The Item: Put 'em away!
When one drives down Millburn Avenue, there often is a mobile police message board flashing an alert.
Pay attention to this one.
It's telling drivers that texting while driving will not be tolerated in Millburn.
And police mean it. They are randomly monitoring intersections downtown and handing out tickets to motorists who are texting or using mobile devices while driving.
Nationwide statistics show that in 2012 more than 3,000 people were killed in distracted driving crashes.
Some experts claim that driving while texting can be even more dangerous than drunk driving. It is certainly just as senseless.
The local crackdown is part of a national campaign against texting while driving. Graphic television commercials will begin airing. They are just as hard to watch as the commercials aimed at smokers.
The point is, texting while driving puts the driver, the passengers and innocent motorists in lethal danger.
Parents, speak to your teen drivers. Set a good example.
Mobile devices can save time, but putting them away while driving can save lives.