Assemblywoman Linda Stender

STENDER: PEDESTRIAN SAFETY NEEDS ADDED FOCUS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Lawmaker Sponsored 2005 Law Increasing Fines for Inattentive Drivers Who Cause Pedestrian Injuries, Deaths

(TRENTON) - Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union) today submitted written testimony to the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee, which heard from a variety of experts on pedestrian safety issues in New Jersey.News from
Assemblywoman Stender

For Release:
October 23, 2006

Contact:

Assemblywoman Stender
(908) 668-1900
Joe Donnelly
(609) 292-7065

STENDER: PEDESTRIAN SAFETY NEEDS ADDED FOCUS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Lawmaker Sponsored 2005 Law Increasing Fines for Inattentive Drivers Who Cause Pedestrian Injuries, Deaths

(TRENTON) - Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union) today submitted written testimony to the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee, which heard from a variety of experts on pedestrian safety issues in New Jersey.

Noting New Jersey's onerous rankings in pedestrian safety statistical categories, Stender has sought to step up state efforts to improve safety for pedestrians, most notably children who walk to and from school.

Stender sponsored the 2005 state law that doubled the fines for drivers who fail to yield to a pedestrian crossing a street in a marked crosswalk. Her bill, which was signed by Governor Richard J. Codey on May 4, 2005, doubled to $100 the previous $50 fine for violations of New Jersey's pedestrian crosswalk law.

Stender released the following statement, which was read into the record by Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee member Robert M. Gordon (D-Bergen) at today's hearing:

Here in New Jersey, it is vital that we change our attitude towards pedestrian safety. Undoubtedly safety on our roadways is a shared responsibility between driver and pedestrian, however we must adopt a culture that recognizes a pedestrian's right of way and learn to yield to pedestrians at all times. Consider the fact that every year, 70,000 pedestrians are injured and 5,000 pedestrians are killed in traffic accidents throughout the United States. Annually, pedestrian deaths account for more fatalities than plane, ship and train crashes combined. Due to our high density population and abundance of urban areas, New Jersey experiences a disproportionate amount of pedestrian injuries and fatalities, a little more than 150 deaths a year on average, second only to the State of New York. Clearly our current pedestrian safety laws are not working.

Many of these injuries and deaths can be attributed to a lack of awareness or poor understanding of current pedestrian safety laws. Governor Corzine has taken an important first step to combat this problem with the creation of a new pedestrian safety initiative. I welcome the opportunity to support this plan with legislation that emphasizes increased education for drivers and pedestrians as well as legislation that creates and promotes incentives for the incorporation of pedestrian corridor plans in all new transportation infrastructure projects.

It is easy to recognize the impact pedestrian safety has on our communities, large and small. Well-designed and well-maintained pedestrian corridors have direct recreational, economic and environmental benefits. We rely on the ability of our children to walk safely to our schools and parks and we welcome the opportunity to walk, run or bike through our streets. Businesses benefit when shoppers have safe and easy access to and from their stores, a key component in many redevelopment and revitalization projects currently underway.

As more cars are added to already-congested roadways, much work has been dedicated to improving mass transit. The safer and more accessible train and bus stations are to commuters, the more likely they are to take advantage of mass transit. In turn, fewer cars are on the roads, commuting times are reduced, productivity at work increases and our environment reaps the benefits.

Whether we live in a rural area or a densely populated city, pedestrian safety is a serious issue and failing to recognize our responsibilities can have deadly consequences. By educating ourselves we will save lives.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my support for improved pedestrian safety and education. I am confident that the testimony heard in committee today will benefit the residents of this state for years to come.

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