Tragedy on New Jersey roads is not an acceptable risk. Families and lives are destroyed by car accidents. People are not statistics. There are far too many impromptu memorials alongside our roads. A community effort to improve driving safety is long overdue.
Speed, reckless driving, texting and impaired driving are some of the root causes of vehicle accidents.
New Jersey has choices. Education, community awareness, enforcement and selfcalming roads need to be embraced.
Driver education programs can be incorporated at the state level. The state can implement an incentive program that reduces registration fees for any driver who takes a certified annual education program.
Many insurance companies offer similar online driving education programs that reduce rates. Public service announcements (PSA) campaigns increase education and safety. We need an aggressive PSA program. Enforcement is costly but very effective. Speeding tickets hurt the pocket and increase penalty points.
Smart engineering means safer roads. The federal Department of Transportation has studied and now endorses self-enforcing roads. A flat, straight, wide road will be inherently fast. The road can be calmed during its design stage or mitigated after concerns develop.
The goal of traffic calming is to apply physical and visual cues that compel drivers to slow down, thus self-enforce. These cues include raised grass medians, barriers, textured or colored pavement, center-lane narrowing, rumble strips, lateral shifts, single lanes, solar speed signs, speed humps and curves. Drivers will slow down, and safety improves.
Education, engineering and enforcement — together, they can save lives. Joseph J. Ferdinando
Freehold Township