Authorities say traffic pursuits by the New Jersey State Police are up 50% compared with last year.

Superintendent Col. Pat Callahan said Monday there have been 153 pursuits so far this year by troopers, compared with 102 in 2019. He says the state is headed toward 260 pursuits for the year, which would be a record.

Callahan says that the cause is unclear, but he and Gov. Phil Murphy speculated that lighter traffic on highways because of COVID-19 restrictions could be a factor.