Director's Message January 2021 - New Jersey Office of Attorney General

Director’s Message January 2021

Eric Heitmann

January Travel Safety

Division of Highway Traffic Safety

Across the country, people are taking the time to reflect on the extremely challenging year in anticipation of celebrating New Year 2021. A part of reflection is looking for ways to make our daily lives happier, healthier, and safer.

The year 2020 proved to be a more difficult and dangerous year than usual on roadways across the country. Here at home in New Jersey, traffic fatalities decreased in the first and second quarters of the year when there were fewer drivers on the road due to the pandemic. However, statistics show that as the year progressed, fatalities increased significantly, even as traffic volumes remained below average. https://www.njsp.org/info/fatalacc/index.shtml

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests driving patterns and behaviors changed significantly and that drivers who remained on the roads engaged in riskier behavior, including speeding, failing to wear seat belts, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/2019-fatality-data-traffic-deaths-2020-q2-projections

At the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, we continue to strive towards our vision of zero deaths occurring on New Jersey’s roadways. We hope the information from the NHTSA study will help you make positive changes in your driving behaviors for a safer 2021.

Here are some traffic safety goals to put on your list of New Year’s resolutions:

Obey all posted speed limits, even if the roads seem emptier than usual. #ArriveAlive
Wear your seat belt – every seat, every trip, every time. It’s the best way to avoid serious injuries or death in the event of a crash. #ClickItOrTicket
If you’ve consumed drugs or alcohol, don’t get behind the wheel of any vehicle. #DriveSober
Put down your phone and pledge not to drive distracted. #JustDrive (And keep an eye out for our Division’s comprehensive distracted driving campaign coming in Spring 2021!)

By making – and keeping – these safety resolutions, you will help us create safer roadways in New Jersey so that everyone arrives home safely to their loved ones at the end of the day.

I invite you to contact our office via phone (609) 633-9300 or email HTSWebInfo@njoag.gov with questions, comments, or suggestions on how we can make 2021 our safest year yet on New Jersey’s roadways. You can also follow along with the NJ DHTS on social media to join the conversation on our traffic safety campaigns all year long: