WHAT: Press conference kicking off the City of Garfield’s Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety campaign, which aims to reduce pedestrian-vehicle crashes in.

§  The Garfield Police Department and City officials are partnering with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) on a month-long pedestrian safety campaign.

§  Officials from Garfield, Bergen County, EZ Ride Transportation Management Association, Hackensack University Medical Center and the NJTPA will speak about their involvement in the campaign and efforts to improve pedestrian safety in the community.

WHY: New Jersey’s pedestrian fatality rate is nearly double the national average

§  There were 131 motor vehicle crashes involving pedestrians in Garfield from 2012-2016. These crashes resulted in 3 incapacitating injuries and 29 moderate injuries. There were no fatalities during this time. Municipal data for 2017 and 2018 is not yet available, however there was a crash on September 17 and the pedestrian died as a result of his injuries on September 19.

§  New Jersey is 17th in the nation in pedestrian fatalities in 2016 (NHTSA)

§  184 pedestrians were killed in crashes in NJ in 2017, according to the New Jersey State Police. From 2013-2017, 825 pedestrians were killed statewide and more than 22,000 were injured

§  Pedestrian deaths account for 27 percent of all crash-related fatalities from 2011-2015, well above the national average of 16 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

WHO:

§  Mayor Richard Rigoglioso

§  Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, a NJTPA Board member

§  City Manager Thomas Duch

§  Police Chief Raymond Kovach

§  Mary Ameen, Executive Director, NJTPA

§  Dr. Saraswati Dayal, Trauma Surgeon, Hackensack University Medical Center

§  Lisa Lee, Manager of Bike & Pedestrian Programs/Safe Routes to School Coordinator, EZ Ride TMA

WHEN:  Monday, September 24, 2018, 11 a.m.

WHERE:

Garfield City Hall, 111 Outwater Lane, Garfield, NJ 07026

For additional information about the Street Smart NJ initiative, visit bestreetsmartnj.org