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Random Spooky Artist Expression or Tactical Urbanism?

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Different kinds of mannequins on the lawn of a home in North Brunswick.

The Mannequin House in North Brunswick

Central Jersey exists and it may very well be one of the “weirdest” places in NJ. If you know, you know. Whether you are a Central Jersey believer or in the camp that it is just technically an extension of North Jersey, you have to admit that Middlesex County contains many hidden gems. As a resident of North Brunswick of over 20 years, I can attest that the Mannequin House off of Route 130 is the best that we have, for a number of reasons.

Local artist and bicycling enthusiast, Michael C. was sick of witnessing people speeding off of Route 130, damaging property, hurting themselves and others. As a lifelong North Brunswick resident he wanted people to be able to enjoy this street safely. Beginning with just a few mannequins, his art grew to well over 50 mannequins, in an effort to slow motorists down. The idea was for people to stop and smell the “flowers,” those flowers being his mannequins.

Traffic calming is the ultimate purpose of the mannequin house through the use of tactical urbanism. Tactical urbanism is a fast, cheap, action-oriented approach to making meaningful civic changes to neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Traffic calming is a set of specific measures like traffic circles, speed humps, and lane narrowing, aimed at reducing injuries and or death due to speeding, in order to improve road safety and quality of life.

You might have noticed the mannequin house while driving by, wondering about its uniqueness and the reason behind it. What did you do when you saw it? You slowed down to see all the details of this spooky installment, right? Now, was that pure coincidence because you saw something interesting or was it traffic calming in disguise? Making his street safer has become Michael’s life’s work. With the help of his partner, the themes of these mannequins change periodically so as to not lose the allure that causes people to slow down. According to sources, all of his mannequins are set up to mimic movement in the shadows using chicken wire, giving the illusion of people crossing the street in an effort to slow down drivers.

Over the years this house has helped reduce speeding on Washington Road, and Mr. C., with his passion for traffic safety has given us here at KMM a unique opportunity to witness creative measures to improve safety. This traffic calming device masked as an art installation is a great example of how engaging local creatives and unique thinkers can help us rethink road safety improvements within our communities.

-Izzy Gonzalez, Safe Routes to School Coordiator

Winter Driving Safety Tips – Don’t get Stuck in the Cold!

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Old Man Winter has arrived and if you haven’t done so already, we recommend brushing up on your winter driving skills as well as your winter driving readiness. KMM is here to help with our updated 2022 Winter Driving Safety Tips.

Driving in Bad Weather

• Carpool: two heads are better than one.
• Sign up for the KMM Emergency Traffic Alert system and receive traffic reports for the roads YOU travel on.
• Be alert. Don’t drive when fatigued.
• Allow plenty of extra time for trips.
• Have alternative routes for how you’ll drive from point A to point B. Anticipate worst-case scenarios and prepare for them.
• Make sure your cell phone is fully charged and have the charger handy.

Tips for Readying Your Car

• Keep the gas tank at least half-full when driving in bad weather. You’ll be more prepared for periods of slow driving or when traffic stops altogether.
• Keep your wiper blades in excellent condition to ensure good visibility.
• Make sure your tires have good treads.
• Carry emergency supplies in your vehicle, no matter what the weather. A good emergency checklist includes a blanket, window scraper, flashlight, first-aid kit, shovel, jumper cables, flares, and non-perishable snacks.

Braking and Skidding

• When applying the brakes on a vehicle equipped with conventional brakes, avoid locking them by pumping.
• For vehicles equipped with anti-lock brakes, apply the amount of brake pressure needed and don’t pump the brakes.
• To avoid skidding, stay within the speed limit, and, in poor weather, slow down. Keep adequate distance between your vehicle and others.
• Slow down before entering turns or bends, steering steadily.
• While on icy or slippery roads, don’t brake heavily or jerk the steering wheel.

Snow, Ice, or Mud Conditions

• If your car is stuck in snow, ice, or mud, proceed carefully. Acceleration that is too rapid will spin the wheels and only dig the vehicle in deeper.
• Try to stay calm and turn the steering wheel gently from side to side to clear snow, ice, or mud away from the wheels. Lightly accelerate forward with the wheels straight ahead, alternating with a slow movement in reverse. This may help rock the vehicle out of its rut.
• Be aware that moisture on overpasses and bridges becomes icy more quickly than on ground-level roads since cold air is beneath these structures.

This is the perfect time of year to investigate ridesharing or mass transit as an alternative for your commute. Contact KMM to inquire about carpool or vanpool matches for your route, and get free mass transit schedules for your area. Why not start commute habits now that will benefit you all year long? It could make for a better commute!

National Crossing Guard Day

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School crossing guards play an important role in the lives of children who walk or bicycle to school. They help children safely cross the street at key locations and they also remind drivers of the presence of pedestrians.  Regardless of the weather, our crossing guards provide safety and smiles each and every school day.  Join us in recognizing the crossing guards across Middlesex County on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, by showing your thanks.

Our friends at New Jersey Safe Routes to School put together some ideas to recognize your crossing guards:

  • Students, parents, and other community members can sign Thank You cards and present them to crossing guards. Thank-you-card-template can be customized or design your own!
  • Work with your local government to recognize these municipal employees with a certificate at a town council meeting, school board meeting and/or school event.  Here is a Template-Recognition-Certificate-for-CGthat you can use and customize.
  • Coordinate with your municipal police department to present a pedestrian safety program in the schools and invite your crossing guards.
  • Work with your school’s PTO or PTA to organize a thank you breakfast for your crossing guards.
  • Recognize your crossing guards in the school newsletter, school email and on the website. Send the notice to the local media.
  • Post a thank you on outdoor school notice boards and lighted signs.
  • Create a thank you banner and hang it at the crossing guard post.
  • Post flyers around school and town to remind people to thank a crossing guard.
  • Simply say “Thank you” to your crossing guard.
  • During your school’s daily PA announcements, inform students about the recognition initiatives and encourage students to give their crossing guards a big smile and thank you.
  •  Ask parents to donate a small token of appreciation for each guard (pocket hand warmers, a cookie, a thank you card, etc.).
  • Solicit local businesses to donate gift cards or a small gift that could be given to your crossing guard.

 There are many inexpensive ways to show your appreciation to your crossing guards!
Thank your crossing guard today and every day!

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Autumn Driving Safety Tips

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There’s nothing more beautiful than an evening drive during the fall season, but this season brings more hazards for drivers than you may think. Being aware of the potential dangers while on the road can help keep you safe and prevent accidents.

The changing colors and falling leaves are what autumn is all about. However, as leaves begin to fall they litter the roads, making streets slick while obscuring your vision. Traffic lines, street signs, and other pavement markings become hard to see. Be aware of limitations in your visibility and slow down if you can’t see well.

With the days getting shorter and more storms approaching, you could find yourself commuting to or from work in the dark. This makes it more difficult to see children playing or pedestrians walking and biking. Using dimmed headlights in bad weather or low visibility is a good way to stay seen while on the roads.  Children also love to play in piles of leaves, so use extra caution whenever you see leaves piled at curbside.

Together, we are all responsible – as drivers and pedestrians, to make sharing the roads safe and efficient.

Share the Road. Share the Responsibility

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Drivers and pedestrians share the responsibility of keeping themselves and others on the roads safe. Pedestrians should follow certain safety practices to help ensure their own safety when sharing the roadways. Here are some useful tips and guidelines to follow as a pedestrian:

Be Visible. You can do this by wearing bright-colored clothing during the day and reflective colored clothing at night. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32% of pedestrian-auto accident fatalities occur between 8 pm and 11:59 pm. The use of flashlights and reflective stickers can help make you visible during these late hours.

Avoid Distractions. It’s time to put down your phone and other electronic devices. The use of electronics is a daily part of life, but they distract your attention. When you decide to walk and text or listen to music through headphones, your attention focuses on that instead of the possible street signs and vehicles surrounding you. As a pedestrian, your eyes and ears are your best way to keep safe.

Use Caution. Before crossing the street always look left, then right, and left again. Make sure traffic has come to a complete stop before proceeding. You should cross only at intersections or street corners with crosswalks. By doing this, motorists should see you coming well in advance.

Remember, you as a pedestrian have a job to be seen and be alert at all times!

Old Man Winter Safety Tips

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Now that the winter has arrived, temperatures will be dropping and snow will be falling. Whether you’re walking or driving during the winter months, its best to be prepared so you stay safe.

Walk Smart. As a pedestrian, it’s your job to be aware of your surroundings at all times. If you know that snow is headed your way make sure to plan ahead. Before you walk out the door, make sure that you wear the proper footwear. Sneakers or snow boot are the best type of shoe for the winter weather. Be sure to take your time and don’t rush and look up when navigating the sidewalk. This method allows you to anticipate ice or an uneven surface. Along with taking your time, you should occasionally scan from left to right to ensure that you aren’t in the way of vehicles or other hazards.

Drive Smart. Injuries during the winter aren’t always from slipping on ice, but can also result from car crashes. The snow and ice do more than we think. Not being visible, black ice is the most dangerous of all to drivers. Always leave extra time to get to your destination. By taking your time and doing the speed limit can help ensure your safety and the safety of others on the road. And be extra cautious in parking lots.  They are difficult to clear and the snow piles take long to melt. Always be aware of pedestrians, snow piles, and cars that may slide or skid on ice.

If you are a home or business owner, make sure sidewalks, walkways and driveways are cleared of any snow, ice or other slippery materials that could get in the way of the pedestrian and drivers.

No matter how well the snow and ice are removed or melted from parking lots, sidewalks and the roads, it’s imperative to walk and drive smart. Together, we are all responsible for our safety and the safety of others this winter season.

Holiday Driving Safety Tips

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Tis the season…Christmas and New Years is a time where many people gather to enjoy the holiday season with their loved ones and friends. Gatherings and celebrations are filled with grand meals complete with turkey and all the fixings, ugly sweater parties, mistletoe, and eggnog.

Unfortunately, this time of year can also be one of the deadliest due to impaired driving. One of the deadliest and most often committed crimes is drunk driving. It is a serious safety epidemic in our country and across the world. During the holiday season, the number of drunk drivers on the road grows rapidly and more fatalities occur during this time.  Let’s change that this year.

Here are 5 tips to share with young drivers, family members, and friends before going out to celebrate the holidays:

  1. Be responsible. If you know that someone is drinking, do not let that person get into a car and drive away.
  2. Have a designated driver. A good way to figure this out is to decide who’s going to be doing the driving before you go out. Also, make sure that person doesn’t drink any alcoholic beverages.
  3. Call a taxi or Uber as a backup. Sometimes you cannot rely on all designated drivers.
  4. Take the keys. You shouldn’t be afraid to take someone’s car keys if you know that they have been drinking and that you are going to save their life.
  5. If you know that you have had too much to drink, stay put, and sober up.

Do your part this holiday season by staying aware, staying sober, and staying safe.  Happy and Safe Holidays to you and yours!

Tis the Season… Safety Tips for Holiday Shopping

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Now that the holiday season is in full swing,  many of us will be checking our lists and heading out to the malls and town centers for holiday shopping. To help you shop safely, we’ve put together some Holiday Shopping tips.

  1. Before heading out to the big sales, map out the stores you plan to visit by trip chaining.  This not only saves on fuel, but it is also a most effective use of time.
  2. Something a lot of people forget when shopping is their own health. Have plenty of water and snacks with you in case your shopping takes longer than expected. Bring hand warmers for long outdoor lines.
  3. Parking lots are where most of the danger occurs during the holiday season. Don’t park between large vehicles. This might obscure your vision when you pull out and shoppers may not see you. Wear reflective clothing to make you visible in busy parking lots.
  4. Leave your car at home and take mass transit.  NJ TRANSIT serves many of the malls in Middlesex County and provides frequent stops.  Leave the driving to them and enjoy your shopping.

Wishing all of our friends a safe and joyous holiday season.

Halloween Safety Tips

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Halloween is here! Along with all the costumes, preparation, and candy, we need to keep safety on our top list of priorities.  During this time of year, parents need to go over safety rules with their children before trick-or-treating begins and drivers need to be more aware than ever.

Here are some safety precautions for children, parents, and driver to follow to make this year’s Halloween a successful one.

  1. Always walk on sidewalks or paths and cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and the designated crosswalks. Look both ways when crossing and make sure your electronic devices are away so they do not take your eyes off of the road.
  2. Teach children to watch for cars that are turning or backing up, and to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
  3. Younger children should not be alone at night without adult supervision. Create a parent group to go out trick-or-treating so you become a part of all the fun.
  4. Drivers need to slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods.
  5. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways, so as a driver it’s your responsibility to see them. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs.

Halloween is an exciting time of year for everyone. Together, we are all responsible- as pedestrians and drivers to make this year’s Halloween a safe and successful one.

Teen Driver Safety Week

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National Teen Driver Safety Week is dedicated to raising awareness and seeking solutions to prevent teen injuries and deaths on the road. Designated by Congress to raise awareness of teen driver safety topics, encourage safe driving, and passenger behavior when driving on the road, the program is now in its 11th year!

Teens (driving or not) understand that they are vulnerable and they are well aware of the many risks that affect safety both on and off the roads. It’s our job to make sure that they understand the importance of keeping their eyes on the road at all times and that following the law is a must when it comes to driving.

Focusing on positive actions that teens can take to be safe and to keep their passengers safe, can be powerful messages for teens. In fact, it is the best way to change their behavior over time. With using a seat belt safety check or having them take a safe driving pledge, many are now using National Teen Driver Safety Week as a platform to create positive change.

This program has brought millions of people together to tackle the number one cause of death for teens in the U.S. – car crashes. Taking place this October 21-27, make sure you get involved in National Teen Driver Safety Week by spreading the word about driving safety and other tips to help teens become more aware of the risks they can face on and off the roads.

Interested in having KMM present at your local school?  Reach out to us today and schedule your Teen Distracted Driving Safety Presentation!