West
Trenton, N.J. -- Attorney General Zulima
V. Farber and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas
Gilbert, Deputy Superintendent of the New
Jersey State Police today hosted commencement
exercises for 73 high school seniors from
across the state as they completed a weeklong,
police-oriented educational program with
the 72nd New Jersey State Police Trooper
Youth Week training class.
"The
number of fatal accidents shows that New
Jerseyans are failing to take safe driving
seriously," Colonel Fuentes, Superintendent
of the New Jersey State Police, said. "There
is no other activity in which people make
life and death decisions on such a regular
basis." The Superintendent explained
that these life and death decisions include
speed, aggressive driving, driving while
distracted or tired and, of course, driving
while intoxicated. Colonel Rick Fuentes
tasked troopers to concentrate on those
behaviors since they often contribute to
fatal accidents. Additionally, law enforcement
will be looking for people who refuse to
obey the seat belt laws.
This
year's national DWI program, named "Drunk
Driving: Over the Limit. Under Arrest,"
will be vigorously supported by officers
throughout the Garden State. The crackdown
is a comprehensive prevention effort focused
on conducting highly visible law enforcement
related efforts to deter impaired driving.
Another
important factor contributing to accidents
is fatigue. Many travelers try to squeeze
every last minute out of the long Labor
Day weekend, and end up driving while exhausted.
To help eliminate fatigue, know your route
of travel and make frequent stops.
The
Colonel urges motorists to avoid potential
problems by using designated drivers, getting
enough sleep, leaving early to beat peak
travel times and by paying attention at
all times.
Inattentive
driving is perhaps the single most common
factor leading to motor vehicle crashes.
Much attention has been given to mobile
phone usage, but other common distractions
include mobile handheld computers, map reading,
sound system adjustments, built-in video/game
monitors and dealing with children in the
back seat.
The
2006 Labor Day Holiday officially begins
at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, September 1st and
continues through midnight, September 4th.
During each of the previous two Labor Day
holidays, 15 persons lost their lives in
accidents along New Jersey roadways. Superintendent
Fuentes hopes that the public will do their
part to reduce traffic fatalities well below
those levels.
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