SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — With very few exceptions, the speed limit throughout South Orange Village is 25 miles per hour, reminds a village press release.
Along with barbecues, trips down the Shore and local ice cream runs, July and August mark the summer driving season. If you are driving in, or through South Orange, that means driving at 25 miles per hour.
“Welcome to South Orange, now drive 25,” Lt. Michael Corrigan, the head of the SOPD Traffic Bureau, said in the release. “We really try to simplify it to make it easy for everyone to remember; if you aren’t sure, assume the limit is 25 because the only exceptions are South Orange Avenue, Wyoming Avenue, and a few school zones and a section of Ridgewood where it is actually lower — 15 mph. Other than that 25 is the max in South Orange.”
“Our narrow, winding, suburban streets were mostly set up in the early 1900s when cars were a lot slower and lighter,” Sgt. Adrian Acevedo, the SOPD’s public relations officer, said in the release. “Driving 40 mph may not feel like much in a modern vehicle; however, your speed can make a big difference. If a car going 20 mph hits a pedestrian, the odds of survival are good because nine out of 10 survive. At 30 mph, it is likely to be fatal half of the time — five out of 10. At 40 mph, only one in 10 will survive. So your speed matters to everyone around you.”
According to state police statistics, pedestrian fatalities across New Jersey were up in 2017, reaching their highest point in more than 24 years. The South Orange Police Department continues fighting the state trend locally with increased traffic enforcement, by participating in the Street Smart NJ campaign and now by reminding everyone to drive 25. The upside of slower speeds is better gas mileage, safer streets and enjoying the summer breeze through your car windows without messing up your hair.
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