County’s fatal crashes down for second year

January 25, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Phone: (856) 384-5617; Pager (856) 251-4736

Gloucester County has recorded its second consecutive year with fewer motor vehicle crash fatalities than in the previous year.

The 22 deaths in 22 crashes on county roads in 2009 were the fewest in 19 years, according to figures kept by the New Jersey State Police. Fatalities were down 33 percent from 33 in 29 crashes in 2008.

Only Sussex County, with a 50 percent year-to-year decrease, from 14 to 7, had a larger percentage drop among New Jersey’s 21 counties in crash fatalities for 2009.

Gloucester County’s 2008 total, which was down 31 percent from 2007’s total of 48, was the first time since 2004 that fewer people lost their lives on county roads than in the previous year.

Many factors can contribute to a decline in fatal crashes, including fewer miles being driven for economic reasons; increased use of seat belts; proactive police efforts such as sobriety checkpoints to catch drunk drivers; increased public awareness of safe driving practices and stricter fines and penalties for traffic violations, including tougher rules for teens driving on “graduated” licenses.

In Gloucester County, the Highway Safety Task Force was formed in 2003 under Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton with the aim of lowering what was then among the state’s highest number of road fatalities. Comprised of private and public organizations concerned with road safety, the task force seeks to accomplish its goals through driver education and law enforcement measures.

With state grants administered by the task force, police departments in Gloucester County last year conducted eight sobriety checkpoints and scheduled “saturation” patrols targeting drunk drivers, arresting 21 persons for DUI and issuing 511 summonses for other motor vehicle violations.

“While we are pleased our county’s roadways are safer than they have been in many years, there is still much work to be done,” said Prosecutor Dalton. “We need to focus our efforts, not only on impaired drivers, but on distracted driving, such as cell phone use and texting while driving.”