# New Jersey Law Would Allow Police To Seize Cell Phones, Records After Car Crashes **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [June 23, 2013, 7:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278 "2013-06-23T07:19:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 7:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/1 "2013-06-23T07:19:36Z")
> A New Jersey lawmaker wants to enable police to search a driver’s cell phone immediately after a crash to see if the phone contributed to the accident. > State Sen. James Holzapfel (R-Ocean County) recently introduced [legislation that would allow police officers to automatically confiscate a cell phone](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/S3000/2783_I1.HTM) if there is a suspicion that the driver was texting or talking on the phone prior to the accident, the Star Ledger reported Monday. The legislation would also increase penalties for texting while driving. The New Jersey bill, which is opposed by civil liberties activists, is the second attempt in the nation to give police this power. > Holzapfel’s legislation states that whenever a driver has been involved in an accident resulting in death, injury or property damage, a police officer may confiscate the driver’s telephone and review the phone’s history to see if the phone was being used at the time of the accident. The information obtained would then be used in the police report. Current laws require police to obtain a search warrant or the driver’s permission to review the phone’s history. > **[New Law Could Allow Cops To Seize Cell Phones](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-jersey-cell-phone-driving_n_3424037)** > > New Law Could Allow Cops To Seize Cell Phones :wow ---
**Author:** ![GD3Skier](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gd3skier/32/6400_2.png) [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/2 "2013-06-23T14:06:49Z")
I’m actually more amazed it wasn’t NY or CA proposing this first. ---
**Author:** ![love4boost](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/love4boost/32/6658_2.png) [@love4boost](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/love4boost)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/3 "2013-06-23T15:53:56Z")
have they never heard of a cars built in bluetooth? I suppose they could track texting but thats about it. ---
**Author:** ![Baumbauer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/baumbauer/32/6530_2.png) [@Baumbauer](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Baumbauer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/4 "2013-06-23T20:35:54Z")
And phones can convert speech into texts messages now too. ---
**Author:** ![slwrthnu](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/slwrthnu/32/6296_2.png) [@slwrthnu](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slwrthnu)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/5 "2013-06-23T20:44:32Z")
while you all are amazed by this, guess what it doesn’t need to be a law. cops can confiscate anything they think played a part in the accident. so if they think you being on your phone caused an accident they can look at your phone. but you know what they can do, force u to give your password to your phone. ---
**Author:** ![love4boost](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/love4boost/32/6658_2.png) [@love4boost](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/love4boost)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/6 "2013-06-24T07:46:53Z")
> [@Please help Paulo and willybeen out. \<3](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/please-help-paulo-and-willybeen-out-3/53025/18): > > while you all are amazed by this, guess what it doesn’t need to be a law. cops can confiscate anything they think played a part in the accident. so if they think you being on your phone caused an accident they can look at your phone. but you know what they can do, force u to give your password to your phone. why would they need this law then? ---
**Author:** ![GD3Skier](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gd3skier/32/6400_2.png) [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 8:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/7 "2013-06-24T08:04:40Z")
That’s the point. Most laws aren’t needed because there’s already laws on the books that kind of “umbrella” them in. 9 times out of 10 this is just some lawmaker trying to make a name for themselves or for some other special interest. ---
**Author:** ![slwrthnu](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/slwrthnu/32/6296_2.png) [@slwrthnu](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slwrthnu)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 11:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-jersey-law-would-allow-police-to-seize-cell-phones-records-after-car-crashes/267278/8 "2013-06-24T11:27:57Z")
> [@Details emerge on next-gen VW GTI, harder-edged GTI-R](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/details-emerge-on-next-gen-vw-gti-harder-edged-gti-r/53042/5): > > why would they need this law then? they don’t, just like they don’t need a law saying you can’t text and drive because it’s distracted driving which is already illegal. but now you can question it less when they go to take your phone. it gets rid of the grey area and instead of the cop saying well the phone could of led to the accident so i can take it to look because a law says i can investigate anything that could cause an accident they now can say the law says u got in an accident so i can take your phone.