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New Jersey Kick-offs New Pedestrian Safety Pilot Program

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streetsmartStreet Smart urges all roadway users to obey vital roadway signs to prevent crashes

A new pedestrian safety pilot program is underway in Newark, Woodbridge, Hackettstown, and Jersey City. The “Street Smart” campaign, a collaborative effort between public, private and non-profit organizations, urges motorists and pedestrian to “check your vital signs” to improve your safety on the road.

The “vital signs” message reminds both drivers and pedestrians to pay attention and adhere to posted signage, which will make travel safer for all roadway users. For motorists, that means observing posted speed limits and stop signs, and stopping for pedestrians in marked crosswalks. If you’re on foot, use crosswalks and wait for the walk signal. If everyone heeded these signs, crashes could be prevented and lives saved. The message may seem simple, but it’s vitally important.

The campaign is long overdue. New Jersey ranks 14th in the nation in pedestrian fatalities and is designated a “focus” state by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Between 2009 and 2012, 565 pedestrians were killed and more than 17,000 injured on our roadways — that translates to one death every 2.5 days and 11 injuries daily. Last year, 568 people died in motor vehicle crashes in New Jersey — 25 percent were pedestrians.

At a campaign kick-off event held November 1 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology campus in Newark, representatives from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which is coordinating the campaign in partnership with FHWA, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, joined with municipal and law enforcement officials, and safety and public health advocates. They unveiled the campaign message and outreach materials, and discussed the effects of speed on pedestrian safety. If a pedestrian is struck by a car going 20 mph or slower, the odds of survival are good. At speeds above 35 mph, the impact is likely to be fatal.

The campaign uses advertising, grassroots public awareness efforts and law enforcement to address pedestrian safety. Community groups are joining with businesses, schools, churches, hospitals, and non-profit organizations to post and distribute information including tips for all roadway users.

Police officers in the pilot communities are enforcing pedestrian safety laws. They’re focusing on motorists who fail to obey New Jersey’s law requiring them to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, as well as pedestrians who jaywalk. They’re also addressing speeding, illegal turns and distracted and inattentive driving and walking, which contribute to pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes.

Despite the program being piloted in these four communities, roadway users throughout New Jersey are urged to get on board. The goal of the Street Smart campaign is to reduce the number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities on all roadways. It is possible. Check your vital signs. Obey the law.  Lives are on the line.

 

credit: NJTPA

Distracted Driving – The Basics

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driving_putyourphonedownsignDistracted Driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from their primary task of driving.  Types of distractions besides texting and using a cell phone include: eating and drinking, grooming, reading including maps, adjusting a radio or CD player. But because text messaging requires visual, manual and cognitive attention, it is by far the most alarming distraction.  Cell phone use may not be the only distraction for drivers, but when you combine the risk with the frequency and prevalence, the reason for putting an end to this deadly behavior becomes clear.

Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4-6 seconds. When driving 55 mph, this is the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field BLIND.

 

What can we as drivers do immediately to avoid distraction?

  • put down the cell phone
  • pull over to talk or text
  • eat or drink only when the vehicle is stopped
  • pre-select your music playlist before starting out
  • take care of grooming at home

Small steps will make a big difference. Drivers who used their cell phones and were involved in a crash didn’t start their call with the intention of injuring or killing another person or themselves. Don’t become a statistic! You are driving a 2 ton vehicle. There’s a lot going on around you.

Stay focused. Stay alive.

Join INN

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INNIn the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, one thing was clear. Information is key and getting it fast is essential. With widespread power outages, many of our commuters depended on their smart phone to get information during and after the storm. Armed with this knowledge, KMM has completely re-invented the ETN to give subscribers a greater degree of information delivered right to their smart phones.

KMM is proud to introduce Middlesex County Information Notification Network – be in the INN and get the information you need.

INN is customizable based on the type of information the user is seeking. INN offers traffic alerts, train alerts, bus alerts, municipal alerts and ozone alerts, in addition to the many other options. Users can receive this information via text or email and can manage their profile on the KMM website.

INN provides commuters and residents with a central, easy to access information page personalized for their needs. For example, a commuter who lives in Cranbury and commutes to North Brunswick could register for not only traffic alerts, but could register for the municipal alerts for both townships. During emergencies, the commuter will receive the latest information on current road status and other information relevant to the origin and destination points.

Current ETN members have been automatically transferred to the new system without disruption in their selected customized alerts. Already, many have begun to take advantage of new types of alerts INN provides, and it’s all at no cost to subscribers.

We can’t control forces of nature but we can stay informed and connected. The KMM staff, like many of the commuters who use our services, understand the need to continually improve upon programs like INN, and we are committed to providing the most comprehensive program we can. Join INN and register for the Middlesex County Information Notification Network by visiting kmm.org/inn.

Drive Safe to Work – This Week and Every Week!

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poster-webWhether you are driving for work, to and from work, or even to the grocery store, the time you spend in your vehicle can be the most dangerous part of your day. That is why this [next] week we will be observing Drive Safely Work Week, the annual safe-driving campaign sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS.)

This year’s theme is Gear up for safe driving: Mind – Body – Vehicle.  You likely already know that vehicle maintenance is an important part of a safe trip. This year’s campaign will highlight how being mindful of physical and mental wellness—along with the “health” of your vehicle—are all connected in making us safer, more attentive drivers.

Among other things, we’ll cover tips for getting better sleep, limbering up before getting be hind the wheel, strategic snacking, the importance of regular vision screening, making sure you have the best fit to your vehicle and that your vehicle is fit for a safe trip.

If you are presently committed to health and wellness, you’ll discover how some of the things you are already doing positively affect your driving. But chances are everyone will find an area in which they might improve—as well as an opportunity to share some relatively simple actions with friends and family to help them be safer behind the wheel.

In addition to always wearing a seat belt, proper maintenance of mind, body and vehicle can go a long way toward getting you to where you’re going safely.  We trust you’ll find the week to be interesting, informative and most likely even a little fun.

Visit kmm.org and take the pledge to Drive Safe to Work – This week and every week to follow!

 

Post written by trafficsafety.org

Try it! Go Car Lite!

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logoFor the 8th year, Keep Middlesex Moving, (KMM), Middlesex County’s commuter services organization, is joining a worldwide movement to support Car Free Day on September 22, 2013.  Car Free Day started in Iceland, England, and France in 1995 to raise awareness about the negative impacts motor vehicles have on our environment.

KMM will kick off this initiative on September 19, 2013 at Jimmy John’s located at 8 Easton Avenue in the heart of New Brunswick.  WCTC 1410AM’s very own Tommy G will be broadcasting live from Jimmy John’s between 12pm and 3pm.  Prizes will be given away to those who stop by the location during the program run time!

On Car Free Day (9/22/13) or any day during the week of September 15th to September 28th, KMM urges commuters to take the Car Free Pledge and recommends the following alternatives:

 

Use public transportation – a train, a bus, or light rail

Ride a bike or take a walk

Carpool or Vanpool

Bring a brown bag lunch or walk to grab a bite to eat

Work from home

 

Commuters who pledge to go Car Free or Car Lite can register at www.kmm.org.  They will be entered into a drawing to win host of prizes including a $50 gift card from Magyar Bank or a Heldrich Spa Gift Certificate or State Theater New Brunswick Tickets or Rutgers Football Ticket Basket or Fragrance Basket from Firmenich Inc.!   For more information or to register for the event, log on to www.kmm.org .   Deadline for registrations is September 21, 2013.

 

 

 

Pay Attention

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Pay-attention1I turned into the street and moved into the right lane.  The light was in my favor and I signaled my intention to turn right.  But, I slammed on my brakes as I made the turn because a bicyclist who ran his red light almost ran into me.  I sat there fuming as he pedaled away totally oblivious to the accident he almost caused.

But there’s more.  A few blocks later, I put on my left turn blinker.  The driver of a car approaching in the opposite direction signaled that he was turning to his left.  Thank goodness I paused a moment before taking the turn.  If I had not, the car left would have crashed into mine because the driver didn’t turn left at all.  He drove straight ahead even as his left turn signal blinked.

If we’re on the road as motorists, pedestrians, or bicyclists, we all have to be careful and watch what we’re doing.  Stop lights are for everybody, those who are driving, walking or bicycling.  Turn signals mean the motorist or bicyclist (who should know hand signals) intends to turn.

It’s real simple.  Pay attention.

A Transportation Planner Visits Barcelona – Changes in Latitude

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“I, therefore, openly repaired to Barcelona, that repository of politeness…that agreeable scene of unshaken friendship, unparalleled both in beauty and situation!” Don Quixote

It was a beautiful and sunny day as my wife, daughters, and I left our cruise ship to enjoy the beauty of Barcelona.  No tour bus for us.  We wanted to experience this Mediterranean jewel on foot.

We weren’t the only ones.

photo credit: IES Abroad
photo credit: IES Abroad

Everywhere, the streets were filled with tourists, students, businessmen and women, even the elderly walking, bicycling or zipping around on Vespa scooters.  Walking through town, we experienced the history and culture of Spain’s most cosmopolitan city.  The excitement and energy pulsed around us in this city so ancient yet so modern. For me, it was a transportation professional’s dream.

I was fascinated by the mixed land use, marriage of old and new.  Likewise, the commitment to a balanced transportation system proved that a “streets that work for all” approach can work in a large city.  The streets were shared by motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit services.  Barcelona’s population exceeds 1.5 million.  With considerable distance between tourist areas and monuments, the best way to get around is by using the underground subway.  It is clean, on time, and efficient.

The bus system is enhanced with beautifully designed shelters that attracted passengers of all ages.  I noticed city maps, route maps, stop signs, benches and other amenities at all stops along the main routes.

Overall, it appeared that transportation and transportation planning seem to be high priorities for Barcelona’s city officials, professionals, and decision makers.  It works well, and was well appreciated by this tourist.

-MA

SummerBlogPhoto

Each Wednesday, KMM’s staff members share stories and anecdotes about their
memorable vacations, recent and past.  These will be personal
recollections about trips to our beloved Jersey shore, across America,
and around the world.  Changes in Latitude………..

Up, Up and Away – Changes in Latitude

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It snowed overnight, but there was hope the white trim on the Red Rock Mountains would melt by the time the birds awoke with their early morning chirping.  In Sedona, Arizona, on an open field, a hot air balloon was waiting.

As my wife an I arrived to the remote location, we could see the crew inflate our chariot – the majestic balloon that would carry us on this sunrise odyssey over the valley of Central Arizona.   It took a bit of effort (as did our newly acquainted companions) to climb into the bucket.  But soon, with the pilot making adjustments to balance the weight of the passengers, we silently and softly rose above the desert floor.

Though the balloon was huge, there was little room in the basket.  Divided into four compartments with four passengers each, the basket was very crowded which we learned was necessary for safety since there are no restraints to hold travelers inside.Hot air balloon

As we glided 100-300 feet above the valley, we were speechless.  The pilot explained as we moved across the sky, he was in complete control of all of the vertical movements, but had no control over its horizontal direction.  The air currents are in charge of that. With the rising sun behind us, the Red Rocks in front of us and the valley below, it was breathtaking.  Although the breezes pushed us in a southerly direction, we didn’t feel the wind because we travelled at the same rate of speed.  It was a calm morning and we felt that all movement was in slow motion.

Forty-five minutes later, it was time to begin the descent and landing approach.  Using a simple cell phone, the pilot alerted the crew to where he though the wind would allow us to land .  But as we gradually worked our way to ground level, it was apparent that the pilot’s educated guess was one mile or so off course.  Another phone call and adjustments were made and we began our final approach. But we still had one final obstacle.

A deep canyon stood between the landing site and our craft.  As the balloon descended into the canyon, the updrafts lifted it to flat land.  Slowly and surely, the balloon sank into the canyon and soon our frazzled nerves dissipated as we ascended  to a perfect landing.

As we exited the balloon on that crisp November morning, a champagne breakfast awaited us as we processed the marvel we just experienced.

-BN

 

SummerBlogPhoto

 

 

Each Wednesday, KMM’s staff members share stories and anecdotes about their
memorable vacations, recent and past.  These will be personal
recollections about trips to our beloved Jersey shore, across America,
and around the world.  Changes in Latitude………..

 

 

 

A Brief History of Carpooling

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12847ff5b3499cc22b77bb379a864543While KMM’s history with ridesharing goes back 25 years, ridesharing can be traced to the early 20th century. The Model T lured commuters off streetcars and into private vehicles. The start of WWI and the 1914 recession inspired entrepreneurs to offset the costs of car ownership by picking up streetcar passengers and transporting them to their destinations for a “jitney,” the 5-cent cost of a streetcar fare. During WWII, early attempts to promote “car clubbing” were largely ignored, in part because, the general public didn’t understand the need to conserve fuel.

This changed when the United States entered the war. “They Do It, So Can We” was one of many patriotic appeals appearing on posters and ads. The gas shortages of the 1970s encouraged a 55 mph speed limit and high occupancy vehicle lanes. Additionally, funding initiatives to promote ridesharing were introduced and for the first time,  ridesharing was linked to improved air quality.

Today carpooling has evolved into apps, online programs, point systems and sometimes even “slugging”.  Our reasons for carpooling range from saving money, convenience and creating a more sustainable community.  But regardless of how we carpool or why we carpool, carpooling – we think – is here to stay.

The Heat is On!

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ar117877265593045It’s only May and the heat is on!  The quality of the air we breathe can have huge implications on our health and well being. Ground level ozone is most dangerous during the hot summer months when strong sunlight and hot weather combine and react with ground level pollution. According to the American Lung Association, 58% of the US population live in areas with unhealthy ozone levels.

Unhealthy ozone levels can make it difficult to breath deeply and damage the airwaves. Children, the elderly, and those with lung disease are most vulnerable during elevated ozone days. Therefore it is important we take necessary precautions on those particular days and try to avoid prolonged outdoor activities.

We can also do our part to reduce ground level ozone by following some simple steps:

  1. Don’t Idle. Not only is burning gas “fuelish”, but exhaust emitted from vehicles releases carbon      dioxide into the air and contributes to climate change.
  2. Refuel during the evening and don’t “top-off” your fuel tank.
  3. Postpone mowing the lawn and grilling until later in the day.
  4. Schedule strenuous activities for early morning or late evening.
  5. Register for KMM’s Ozone Action Partnership.

The New Jersey Ozone Action Partnership is comprised of hundreds of corporations, government agencies and individuals working to reduce ground-level ozone pollution and curtail its detrimental effects on our health and the environment. As a member of the Partnership, your organization will receive an email alert on days when ground level ozone pollution is in the unhealthy range along with “tips” to help reduce ground level ozone. To register for KMM’s Ozone Action Partnership, and learn more about the Anti-Idling program, visit www.kmm.org.