Cops: We Don't Want to See Another Fatal Crash

It's a simple goal: Keep people alive.

Morris Township Police are asking local residents to join them Monday in a national effort to keep drivers' safe. For "Put the Brakes on Fatalties Day," they'd like drivers to be extra-mindful of the dangers of distracted driving, of drunk driving, of driving without a seatbelt and of disregarding traffic laws.

Just days ago, Morris Township Police responded to a fatal accident—. The investigation into that crash continues.

"After the tragic crash we were involved in yesterday, we desire nothing more than to prevent the hardship that a Morris County family had to experience," Capt. Rich Ferrone said in an e-mail Wednesday evening, a day after the crash.

The announcement from Morris Township Police follows:

Morris Township Police Department Partners with Communities and Organizations across the State and Country to Promote the annual "PUT THE BRAKES ON FATALITIES DAY"

Motorists in Morris Township and throughout the nation are asked to join a day-long effort on Monday, October 10, 2011, designed to increase awareness about safe driving behaviors and keep the State's roadways fatality free for one-day.

Known as Put The Brakes On Fatalities Day, the national initiative was designed to unite the country in achieving one full day of zero traffic deaths by encouraging motorists to obey all traffic laws, including buckling up, every ride; driving the posted speed limit; avoiding distractions while driving, and always being safe and sober behind the wheel.

Last year in New Jersey, 556 individuals lost their lives in motor vehicle-related crashes, down from 583 in 2009. The decline continues a four-year downward trend in motor vehicle fatalities and marks the lowest number of recorded motor vehicle deaths in the State since the 1940s. Despite the good news, we still lost 3 motorists on New Jersey roadways last October 10th.

Like last year, police departments throughout New Jersey will once again be asked to enforce the safe driving laws such as speeding, seatbelts, and cell phone violations, and report crash information (total crashes, injuries crashes and fatalities) for October 10 to the Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the state's lead traffic safety agency. The Division will post this information on its website -www.njsaferoads.com and distribute it to the media.

A little more about “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day”:

October was selected for the Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day observance because it is among the peak months for traffic fatalities. In fact, October 9th was the most dangerous day of the year to
be on the road in 1999: 207 people died in traffic crashes according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). February 22 was the safest day to be on the road that year: 50 were killed in motor vehicle crashes.

Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day (PBFD) was first observed on October 10, 2001 (patterned after the Great American Smokeout) and believed necessary when statistics showed that from 1995 to 2000 over 250,000 deaths had occurred or an average 41,500 annually (1/2 of attendees at a large football stadium on a fall afternoon). The annual number of fatalities has dropped to 37,261 in 2008 and to nearly 34,000 in 2009 or about 1 death every 15 minutes.

The PBFD program's mission has been to serve as an advocate and a resource to help reduce fatalities. This includes the support of the recently established national goal of "Towards Zero Fatalities.” ASCE members and new partners are welcome and encouraged to become involved. To learn more, please visit our website at www.brakesonfatalities.org. If your organization wishes to participate please send an email with the name of a contact person to pbfday@asce.org and visit the Tool Kit page for material and ways to create an October 10th event