Reason this NJ driver was swerving during morning commute

It never seems to amaze us when it comes to stupidity on New Jersey roads. This one almost ranks up there with the idiots who speed up the shoulder in traffic just so they can pass everyone.

We'll send a message to those drivers in a moment. Not that speeding up a shoulder is the same as swerving across lanes, but because the reason behind the swerving was in the same category as the driver feeling like they could do whatever they want.

With that said, what was the deal with this particular driver? Why were they swerving like they were drunk?

Whelp, this was witnessed one Monday morning in December. It was rush hour, so naturally, many people were on the road trying to get to work.

I was among these commuters on Route 35 in Middletown. All was going well until I saw this car up ahead that almost drove right into the median.

Then, it swerved back and went halfway into the right lane, almost hitting another car that was there. Luckily, the other driver noticed and was able to avoid a collision.

After that, the car jerked back toward the left before stopping for a red light. I was still a few cars back and couldn't get a good view as to what might be going on with this driver.

After the light turned green, it had a delayed reaction before finally starting to move again. But when it did begin to move, it swerved a bit to the left before going into the right lane.

Fortunately, this person avoided hitting others once again. After that, it swerved into the shoulder. What in the world was up with this driver?

At this point, I was able to approach this car in the left lane. This driver's speed wasn't exactly consistent which made it easier for people in the other lane to get past them.

My honest initial guess was that this person was drunk. With the way the car was maneuvering, it wouldn't be a surprise.

But nope, that wasn't it at all. Right when I got to the side of them, it was clear as day what was happening.

First off, it was a male driver who looked to be in his 30s or so, and he looked angry. And what was he doing? He was on his damn phone.

But not holding it to his ear. It was one of those larger phones and he was looking straight at the screen, holding it with one hand.

So he wasn't drunk from what I can tell but was incredibly stupid and reckless. And he was doing that in the middle of the morning rush hour.

Was whatever he was looking at on his screen that important to the point he was endangering himself and others? I doubt it.

Look, we have wireless and Bluetooth connections for a reason. If you must be on the phone, use one of those methods, or put the phone on speaker.

But there's absolutely no reason to be glued to the screen while trying to drive a vehicle. I have no idea if this guy eventually got into an accident or pulled over, but he had plenty of close calls during the short period I was near him.

Please, don't be stupid. Whatever business it is, it can wait. Get off the highway or pull over if you must view your screen.

Speaking of pulling over, let's talk about those of you who feel the shoulder is a passing lane rather than a spot for cars to stop. I'm sure the driver above also falls into this category as someone who feels they can do whatever the hell they want on the road.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.