Trenton
– New public awareness and education
materials, designed to reinforce the life-saving
importance of school zone safety, are now
available to help parents learn more about
the role they play in ensuring their children
get to and from school safely, Division
of Highway Traffic Safety (DHTS) Director
Pam Fischer announced today.
“Traffic
in and around school zones can create significant
hazards not only for students, but crossing
guards, and school and law enforcement officials,”
Fischer stated. “It’s critical
for parents to recognize the dangers associated
with our transportation system, particularly
when it comes to the mix of vehicles and
pedestrians, and make sure they set the
best example for their children whether
they are driving or walking them to school.”
A new, 10-minute video entitled, “School
Zone – Danger Zone,” urges parents
to take an active role in discussing with
their children traffic safety issues that
can occur in school zones. Produced by the
Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance
Fund (MEL) with support from DHTS, the video
highlights the importance of parents knowing
and adhering to school drop off procedures,
obeying (both children and parents) the
instructions of school crossing guards and
other officials, and serving as positive
role models when behind the wheel.
Children younger than ten years of age are
still developing the auditory localization
skills needed to hear and anticipate on-coming
traffic, making them more vulnerable when
walking or bicycling. In New Jersey, from
2007 to 2009, 19 children between the ages
of five and 15 lost their lives and nearly
2,000 were injured, in pedestrian/motor
vehicle-related crashes. While the majority
of those injured and killed were boys (64%),
both boys and girls are at risk.
“The
recent change to New Jersey’s pedestrian
safety law, which requires motorists to
stop and stay stopped for pedestrians in
a marked crosswalk, can help children understand
that crosswalks are safety zones,”
Fischer explained, noting that “the
safe walking habits they develop at an early
age can last a lifetime.”
The video also provides information on the
function of crossing guards, and the importance
of always following their direction, as
well as that provided by other school and
law enforcement personnel who may be assisting
children as they move in and through school
zones.
“In
the past decade, crashes involving school
crossing guards increased nearly 65%. This
is a disturbing statistic, and one that
should prompt parents to pause and think
about their own driving behaviors,”
Fischer stated. “For instance, ask
yourself, “am I driving too fast as
I enter or exit the school zone?”
If the answer is yes, consider this: a pedestrian
struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph, has
a 95% chance of survival, as compared to
55% and 15%, respectively, when the vehicle
is traveling 30 or 40 mph.”
“The
MEL produced this program because far too
many crossing guards have been injured or
killed in recent years here in New Jersey,”
said David N. Grubb, of the New Jersey Municipal
Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund. “All
of us must work as a team to calm traffic
around our schools and protect the children
and the crossing guards. We appreciate the
help from the State Division of Highway
Traffic Safety, the State Association of
Chiefs of Police, the New Jersey League
of Municipalities, Munich Reinsurance of
Princeton, the Brain Injury Association
of New Jersey, J. A. Montgomery Risk Control,
and member towns who supported us in developing
this program.”
The State Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
is also partnering with the Division of
Highway Traffic Safety to let parents know
about the availability of the new video.
“The
New Jersey PTA has information on its website
regarding safety around our schools while
parents are dropping off their children,
and we have also included this in our newsletter,”
said State Parent Teacher Association President
Judy Hyde. “In addition, we will be
providing the school zone safety video to
our County PTA's for distribution to their
members. The NJ PTA is an advocate for the
safety of all children and is pleased to
be partnering with the Division of Highway
Traffic Safety on this project. We urge
all parents to make school zone safety a
priority.”
View
the Video: English
I Spanish
Parents
are urged to print
out this tip sheet and use it to facilitate
a discussion about traffic safety with everyone
in the family.
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