State of New Jersey

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Division of The Ratepayer Advocate
31 Clinton Street, 11th Fl
P. O. Box 46005
Newark, New Jersey 07101

Press Release

For Immediate Release
Monday, July 07, 2003

For Further Information
Contact: Tom Rosenthal
Tel: 973-648-2690

Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh Wins
Governor’s Representative Award
For Promoting Highway Safety
To Asian-Indian Community in New Jersey

East Windsor, NJ – Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh, Esq., was given the Governor’s Representative Award by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for educating the state’s Asian-Indian community about traffic safety.

“I am very proud to be one of the Governor’s Representatives who have joined you in working to educate diverse populations in communities throughout New Jersey about traffic safety,” Ms. Singh said after receiving the awards from Highway Safety Director Roberto Rodriquez.

As the most senior Asian-Indian in the administration of Governor James E. McGreevey, and the Governor’s spokeswoman to Asian-Indians on a variety of issues affecting New Jersey, Ms. Singh was invited last April by Director Rodriquez to bring the life-saving message of highway safety to members of the Asian-Indian community. 

“As you know, traffic safety is particularly important in the most densely populated state in the country,” Ms. Singh said. “It is a very crucial message for members of the Asian community, many of whom are concentrated in central New Jersey along the heavily trafficked Route 1 corridor.”

Ms. Singh said that since delivering that speech in April, she has continued to deliver the message about the importance of creating safer driving environments and changing the personal driving attitudes that affect people’s actions behind the wheel, so that the incidence of traffic accidents can be reduced.

“Cooperative and collaborative efforts in support of state highway safety programs and the sharing of information about them will help to educate New Jersey’s diverse driving communities about good judgment and diving safety,” Ms. Singh said. “If we as drivers will listen and learn, we can save the lives of many others, including our loved ones.”

“Sadly, the sobering fact is that traffic crashes are the leading cause of driving injuries and fatalities in America.  They are tragically, the number one cause of death for children and young adults between 1-24 years of age, in the Asian Pacific and Asian American communities,” Ms. Singh said.

“We must encourage teenage drivers and adults to learn how to address a variety of traffic safety issues like the importance of driving while sober, about pedestrian and bicycle safety and particularly child passenger safety,” Ms. Singh said.

“I am honored to receive this award today,” said Ms. Singh. “But it is really the residents of New Jersey who are the beneficiaries of your admirable efforts to promote safe and smart driving and the work of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.”

Ms. Singh urged all motorists to follow the advice of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety’s Take Five – Stay Alive program:


1.      Leave Early: Budget yourself some extra time so you don’t have to rush.  It will save you stress.

2.      Buckle Up: It will help you survive a crash and it’s the law. Make sure all occupants are restrained.

3.      Drive Friendly: Courteous driving reduces crashes and saves lives. Respect your fellow motorists.

4.      Avoid Distractions: Safe driving requires your full attention. Cell phone use; radio, CD or cassette operation; eating and talking with other passengers are leading distractions that causes crashes.

5.      Arrive Alive: Traffic safety is a shared responsibility. Do your part.

For more information on highway traffic safety, visit www.njsaferoads.com or call 800-422-3750.

Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh, Esq., addresses the Traffic Safety Summit on June 24 after receiving the Governor's Representative Award for her efforts to educate the state’s Asian-Indian community about traffic safety.

Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh, Esq., receives the Governor's Representative Award from Roberto Rodriguez, Director NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety, (right).  Ms. Singh received the award at the Traffic Safety Summit on June 24 for her efforts to educate the state’s Asian-Indian community about traffic safety.  Also presenting the award are Thomas Louizou, Regional Administrator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (left), and Al Ramey, Assistant Attorney General NJ Department of Law & Public Safety.


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