Text-messaging and using other electronic devices such as BlackBerrys while driving were also banned.
On Tuesday, California will join New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and the District of Columbia in having the nation's strictest cell-phone statutes.
Pennsylvania could follow later this year.
In April, when Dora Maule, 32, of Woodbury, got stopped in Pitman, the officer ignored her claim about having her phone on speaker.
"He didn't care. He was so proud of himself," the special education teacher said. "... He had this grin, like, 'Ha ha, I got you!' "
It's not that she's cavalier about making calls, she said. She actually pulled over to phone the doctor's office - then got put on hold. So she started driving.
Her husband didn't pick up his cell until he was on the Commodore Barry Bridge, heading into Pennsylvania. He got stopped by Delaware River Port Authority police, who, it turns out, spokeswoman Danelle Hunter said, can enforce either state's laws anywhere on their bridges.
"He's mad about the ticket," Dora Maule said. "He was not happy."
At least, no points get added to a driver's record.
Today, the Maules have hands-free sets.
Thousands of Garden State travelers now have similar stories to tell.
In March, April and May, 34,762 cell-related tickets were written - nearly eight times the 4,451 for the same months last year, according to the state Administrative Office of the Courts.
That's about $4 million extra revenue. It's not exactly a windfall, though, since during the 12 months ending last June, the state handed out 5.6 million tickets for moving and parking violations.
Whether certain towns or the state police are cracking down hardest can't easily be determined, because of how the state's records are kept, AOC spokeswoman Tammy Kendig said.
A check for Cherry Hill found 51 tickets issued to drivers for using phones during March, April and May, she said.
Mantua said it issued 10 phone tickets in May, much bigger Deptford only 4.
