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  NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE

 
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30, 2001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John R. Hagerty, State Police Public Information Office
(609) 882-2000 x6515
Sgt. Al Della Fave
(609) 882-2000 x6514

NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE TO INCREASE PATROLS & HIGHWAY ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES DURING LABOR DAY
HOLIDAY WEEKEND


       W. Trenton - Colonel Carson J. Dunbar, Jr., Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and Director Peter J. O'Hagan, Division of Highway Traffic Safety, today announced that the New Jersey State Police and traffic enforcement officers throughout the state will increase traffic patrol responsibilities during the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend.

        With over 34,000 miles of highway cris-crossing the state and thousands of motorists driving millions of miles during the holiday period, Superintendent Dunbar and Director O'Hagan said that state troopers, municipal police officers and highway traffic safety personnel remain busy 24 hours-a-day responding to traffic-related emergencies and patrolling to reduce fatal accidents. The officials reminded New Jersey drivers that law enforcement officers will be focusing particular attention on the aggressive, inattentive, careless and drowsy driver as they enforce the state's traffic laws and promote safe driving practices.

       "Our message is simple and our goal is important - zero highway fatalities during the 96-hour Labor Day holiday," Dunbar said. "With many more New Jerseyans staying closer to home, and with our beaches, parks and recreational areas in great shape, we're certain to see highway traffic swell with late summer tourists and vacationers."

        According to O'Hagan, "New Jersey's highway safety enforcement agencies will be maximizing resources throughout the extended holiday weekend in an all-out effort to provide even more safety-related reminders as travelers, tourists and vacationers take to the state highways."

        The highway safety officials said that state troopers and local police officers will focus attention on the drowsy and inattentive driver, noting that drowsy and inattentive driving is perhaps the single largest contributing factor (and most under reported) in motor vehicle crashes, especially during extended holiday periods when there are many more distractions facing drivers.

       The State Police will continue to target drivers and their passengers who are not wearing seat belts. The program, geared to increase compliance with New Jersey's primary seat belt law, will result in the issuance of summonses to drivers for failure to buckle themselves and their passengers. Troopers will specifically attempt to identify children not properly secured in approved child restraint seats. The stepped-up enforcement campaign will be in effect in all State Police patrol areas, including the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and all interstate highways.

       According to Director O'Hagan, New Jersey's seat belt use rate increased from 63.3% to 74.2% following enactment of the primary seat belt law in May, 2000. Drivers and front seat passengers who do not wear their seat belts face a $42 summons.

       Additionally, state troopers will be assigned to high visibility tactical patrol units to monitor traffic using state-of-the-art speed enforcement technology. Troopers will also be moving around the state to identify the drunk and drinking driver and will also staff stationary sobriety checkpoints in all State Police patrol areas.

       The 2001 Labor Day holiday officially begins at 12:01 a.m. on Fri., Aug 31. and continues through midnight, Mon., Sept. 3. During the 2000 Labor Day holiday, six persons lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents along New Jersey roadways.

       The State Police noted that 407 people have died in traffic-related accidents so far this year (Jan. 1 through August 26, 2001) compared to 462 highway deaths recorded during the same period last year (2000).





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