State Looks to Put the Brakes on Accidents

In an effort to curtail pedestrian traffic accidents, a new state safety law struck the streets last week.

Local officials throughout Bergen County were out spreading awareness April 1 for a law that intensifies fines for motorists in pedestrian accidents in addition to another measure that imposes further restrictions on young drivers.

Essentially, the edict accentuates the fact that pedestrians always have the right-of-way.

The new law calls for vehicles to stop—not yield—as soon as someone enters a crosswalk. Fines have increased to $200, up from $100. Additionally, nearly every accident involving a pedestrian will be labeled the fault of the motorist.

At a news conference in Hackensack, Bergen County Police Captain Uwe Malakas explained the hard-line stance.

"There's no vehicle accident involving a pedestrian where the pedestrian isn't the loser," he said, adding that drivers, "haven't listened to reason and aren't listening to laws. They will be held responsible."

Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox said that "over the years, there's been too much disrespect of pedestrians." The chief said the change in the law is largely a matter of educating motorists to influence their behavior on the road, although "it takes a long time to change behaviors."

County Executive Dennis McNerney said Thursday that the burden is on drivers to be increasingly awareness of pedestrians.

"Residents of Bergen County must exercise due caution when driving," he said, citing 150 pedestrian fatalities statewide last year.

Fox said the law is simple: "If you see someone in the road, stop for them."

McNerney, Malakas and County Sheriff Leo McGuire also touched upon Kyleigh's Law—to take effect May 1.

All underaged drivers in the graduated license program will be required to have a red sticker on their license plates. Additionally, young drivers will be restricted from driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

"Too often, they have too many people in the car, and young people are too inexperienced to handle it," McGuire said.

As for pedestrian safety, police statewide will increase enforcement. Although, McNerney said a grace period will exist.  

"Once drivers learn that pedestrians have the right-of-way, we'll all be safer," McGuire said.

Fox said crosswalk violations are a "difficult thing to enforce on a daily basis," as a patrol officer would "have to be in the right spot at the right time." Therefore, often violations are found "just by happenstance."

However, the Wyckoff Police Department prides itself on its pedestrian safety record and has earned the American Automobile Association's Award of Excellence for the past six years.

"It's definitely a town interested in pedestrian safety, and they are doing a great job," said William Visser, manager of public aid and government services for AAA, last fall.

The police have promoted pedestrian safety, in part, through Operation Safe Crossing, where a plainclothes officer poses as a pedestrian and radios a nearby patrol car when a motorist fails to yield to him or her in a crosswalk.

Fox said the department will promote the change in the law through additional "stings," although he said the point of such operations is education.

"We're not looking to trick people. The whole goal is to make people aware."

Additionally, "Yield" signs at crosswalks throughout the township will have to be changed to emphasize the change in the law, instructing motorists to "Stop."