FACT CHECK: No, New Jersey State Police Are Not Conducting A ‘Speeding Ticket Frenzy’

Trevor SchakohlJuly 20, 2022

An image shared on Facebook claims New Jersey State Police are conducting a “30-speeding ticket frenzy” beginning July 28.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence to suggest fines or ticketing efforts will be increased in the state. The New Jersey State Police denied the rumor.

Fact Check:

The Facebook image, shared over 280 times, shows a sheet of paper titled “Traveling in New Jersey.” The sheet, sourced to the radio station New Jersey 101.5, states that 50 state troopers will be patrolling various New Jersey highways at all times for 30 days starting on July 28 with a mission to hand out a speeding ticket every 10 to 20 minutes in an effort to raise $9 million in revenue for the state.

“Starting August 15, the price of a violation to show your driver’s license, registration, or insurance card at the time you are stopped, increased from $44.00 to $173.00,” reads the letter. It also states that not having any of the three documents would result in a $519 fine and using a hand-held cell phone while driving would result in a $180 fine.

These claims are false. There are no announcements about the alleged “speeding ticket frenzy” on the New Jersey State Police website or on the New Jersey 101.5 website. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to corroborate the authenticity of the alleged letter. (RELATED: Did Ted Cruz Say Owning A Gun Should Be As Hassle-Free As Owning A Car?)

State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan told New Jersey 101.5 in 2020 that using ticket quotas to increase the enforcement of speed limits was illegal. He recently told News 12 New Jersey that the viral claim shared on Facebook is fake.

“I see periodically that social media post put out. And it is fictitious,” Callahan told News 12 New Jersey. “Our troopers are out there 24/7 enforcing traffic laws. There is no order from me, from any station commander, from any sergeant or trooper commander regarding any ticket blitz.”