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75 Martine Avenue, Fanwood, NJ 07023 - 908/322-7773 FAX - 908-322-2200 or 908-889-6359 Safety Wings | Tony Parenti , Editor MEETING NOTICES: Next Regular Business Meeting: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2007, 10:00 AM, at the Somerville Elks Club, Route 28 (Union Avenue) Bridgewater, NJ. Board Of Directors: The next meeting is at the call of the President.  PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: Once again New Jersey has a new Attorney General thus making it 3 in less than 2 years. Anne Milgram has been confirmed as Attorney General after the short-term Attorney General Stuart Rabner left his post to become Chief Justice of the NJ Supreme Court. We congratulate both and wish them well. NJ is long overdo to get down to doing important business and hopefully the wrangling has ended. Past President, Tony Parenti, retired Director of the John Stamler Police Academy, says he will devote more time tending to NJPTOA business, particularly representing our positions on legislative and other matters. Contact him through the Association or at home (908) 322-8583 or e-mail tparenti@comcast.net. The following are interesting stats for 2005. Stay Safe - Bill LEGISLATIVE STUFF: Bills signed by the Governor: Chapter 84: Allows certain nonprofits to apply directly to Division of Highway Traffic Safety for federal grants. Chapter 83: Skinner's and Michelle's Law; increases penalties for leaving scene of motor vehicle accident resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Chapter 80: Requires MVC to share organ donor information with federally designated organ procurement organizations. Chapter 78: Establishes penalty for failing to comply with school crossing guard's signal to stop. Chapter 77: Requires school bus drivers to inspect bus for pupils remaining at end of route. Chapter 59: Establishes "Blue Heart Law Enforcement Assistance Program" to provide counseling support for wounded law enforcement officers. 
NEW JERSEY LAST AGAIN: In a study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina New Jersey's roads ranked last in the nation for traffic congestion. Montana's highways were the deadliest in the nation with 2.3 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The study, based on data from 1984 through 2005, found that road conditions improved in recent years but traffic congestion and highway fatalities increased slightly. The five states with the most cost-effective roads are North Dakota, South Carolina, Kansas, New Mexico and Montana. Joining NJ at the bottom are Alaska, New York, Rhode Island and Hawaii. The study found traffic fatalities rose by less than 1% between 2004 and 2005. Massachusetts' roads were the safest, with 0.8 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles. REVISIONS TO THE UNIFORM TRAFFIC TICKET: The Uniform Traffic Ticket was revised effective February 9, 2007. Beginning July 1, 2007, only the new version of the Uniform Traffic Ticket may be used. 
As of Week 27 there were 331 fatalities recorded on NJ roads compared to 353 during the same period in 2006, A DECREASE OF 22 BODIES.
There were 194 Driver deaths, 62 Passengers, 59 Pedestrians, 14 Motorcycle Drivers, 00 Motorcycle Passengers, and 02 Pedacyclists. There were 331 fatalities in 310 cashes. STUFF IN THE NEWS: Traffic deaths on US roads were down in 2006 (43,300 to 43,443 in 2005). Over half of the passenger vehicle occupants killed were unbuckled. Previous data shows highway crashes cost society $230.6 billion a year, about $820 per person. Pedestrian deaths dropped slightly, from 4,881 to 4,768; and fatalities involving large truck crashes dropped from 5,212 to 5,018, a 3.7 % decline. About 5,000 people die each year from collisions with trucks so the National Transportation Safety Board is pushing for mandatory electronic onboard recorders to ensure truck drivers don't drive more than 11 hours at a time. About 700 of the fatalities were truck drivers. NHTSB says some crashes could have been avoided if drivers complied with hours-of-service regulations. The trucking industry argues there's no evidence use of the recorders would change those statistics and the mandate would pose an unnecessary expense. They inspected 3 million truck driver logbooks last year and about 7% of those had violations. 
DRIVING WITH DRUG HANGOVER: A NJ state appeals court ruled drivers feeling the after-effects of drugs can be considered driving while impaired even if they are not directly under the influence of drugs at the time. The court said, "This case presents a novel issue as to whether a 'rebound effect' or a 'hangover effect' from previous ingestion of cocaine constitutes being 'under the influence' of a narcotic drug." The case involved a person arrested after police observed him speeding and driving erratically. A blood test showed his body was metabolizing cocaine. He was found guilty of driving under the influence of cocaine, his license was suspended for two years and he was ordered to serve 30 days of community service. The three-judge panel acknowledged the decision broke new ground in defining what constitutes impairment but a prosecutor expressed doubt it would apply to alcohol hangovers. NJ DRIVERS SAY NEW YORKERS ARE WORST DRIVERS: A survey sponsored by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety and Fairleigh Dickinson University's Public Mind, shows 87% of NJ drivers always wear a seat belt. Half say they drive more than 65 mph, think they can go 75 mph and not have to worry about getting a ticket. 55% cite New Yorkers as the worst drivers and 68% of NJ drivers rate themselves as above average compared to most other drivers on the road. South Jersey drivers said New Yorkers drive worse than Pennsylvanians by a 49% to 20% margin. Men are more likely than women to drive after drinking and even though an average of two people per day die on NJ roads, most drivers think they are unlikely to be involved in a crash. 55% say the state should use cameras to enforce speed limits and red lights. 26% say they use a hand-held cell phone while driving. BASIC ENGINEERING FOR POLICE COURSE: Conducted at Rutgers Cook Campus, New Brunswick, on September 6, 13, 20, 27 - October 4, 11, 18, 25 - November 1, 8, 12 - 6:45 p.m.- 9:45 p.m. Instructors: William Anderson and David Martin. Cost: $792. Deadline to register: August 23, 2007. Call 732/932-3640, ext. 648. www.policy.rutgers.edu/cgs/PublicSafety.php 
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT AND BULLETPROOF VEST SALUTE OUR WAR HEROES - NEVER FORGET THE DEPARTED Next Meeting September 5th - Somerville Elks Club, Bridgewater, NJ |