Reducing Roadway Fatalities Comes Down to Sharing the Responsibility

By The New Jersey Department of Transportation

There were more than 600 crash-related fatalities on New Jersey roadways in 2023. We’re so used to seeing statistics that it can be easy to forget there are real people behind the numbers. So let’s reframe it.

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In 2023, more than 600 mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and friends never made it home to their loved ones – and many of those losses were preventable.

From his first day on the job, New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Fran O’Connor has made improving roadway safety one of his top priorities. Having spent more than four decades working with transportation agencies across the country, Commissioner O’Connor knows all too well the tragic consequences of distracted and impaired driving. Then, shortly before taking office, he experienced the heartbreaking loss of a close friend in a distracted driving crash.

That devastating incident – and recent fatalities involving impaired drivers, elder pedestrians and children on bicycles are stark reminders that behind every statistic, there is a human story, a family affected, and a community grieving.

One death is too many, and every loss of life is tragic, especially when it could have been prevented by putting down a phone, getting a designated driver, or simply paying attention to the road. These are things we all learn when we get our license but, unfortunately, when it comes to driver behavior, knowing better doesn’t always equate to doing better.

“At NJDOT, safety is a priority and consideration in every step of our project delivery process,” O’Connor says. “But no amount of engineering can fully compensate for driver behavior. Everyone deserves to go home to their loved ones at the end of the day.”

With the support Governor Murphy and his commitment to improving roadway safety, NJDOT is doing everything it can to ensure the safety of those traveling throughout the Garden State. But, ultimately, it’s up to motorists and everyone who uses these roadways do their part and drive responsibly. Even passengers play a role in making sure the driver is sober and not distracted.

The single most important thing a driver can do when behind the wheel is stay alert. Distracted drivers are dangerous drivers – risking their own lives, and the lives of everyone around them.

While choosing to use your phone while behind the wheel, or drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can lead to a hefty fine or jail time – those aren’t the only ways drivers lose focus. Lives have been lost because someone looked down to grab a sandwich or change a radio station. It really does take only a second to lose control and change someone’s life forever.

“We need the help of the motoring public, and all roadway users, if we want to see a decline in fatalities and injuries caused by distracted driving,” O’Connor says.

It is possible to lower the number of fatal crashes in New Jersey but NJDOT, the New Jersey State Police, and other partner agencies can’t do it alone. Let’s work to break the bad habits that put yourself and others at risk, commit to driving responsibly, and respect our fellow roadway users. Visit www.DriveSafelyNJ.com to learn more.