Is it Illegal to Honk For No Reason in New Jersey?

HONK, HONK!

An all-too-familiar noise we're accustomed to on the New Jersey roads. Even if half of New Jersey drivers don't know their car comes with signal lights, they darn sure know their car has a horn. And many of us use it often. Maybe too often!

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There are so many ways to use your car horn - it has many translations, if you will.

• "The light's green!"
• "Watch out!"
• "Pull over!"
• "Keep moving!"
• "**** you!"

And of course we've all come across these people - in New Jersey or anywhere else. The overly aggressive car horn honker that blares their horn for any reason whatsoever.

Honking can be excessive. But can it be illegal in New Jersey?

According to New Jersey Statutes Title 39. Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation 39 § 3-69:

"The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation, give audible warning with his horn but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway."

Key phrases: "give audible warning" and "when reasonably necessary." So if you're blaring your horn at somebody just because you don't think they're driving the way they ought to be, you could be subject to getting pulled over if a cop is around.

But this type of behavior is so very prevalent in New Jersey that it can be hard to keep in check. Have you ever seen anyone get pulled over for honking?