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Pedestrian-fatalities-PI-blog-300x200According to a recent study, pedestrian fatalities in this country have increased more than 50% since 2012. What’s more, the study found that New Jersey’s roads are the most dangerous for pedestrians, with pedestrian deaths accounting for 30.3% of all traffic accident fatalities in the State, compared with a national rate of 17.3%.

What’s behind this national increase in pedestrian deaths? According to the study, it’s a combination of factors including more people choosing walking over driving and more distractions, particularly cell phones, taking people’s attention away from their surroundings. But there are things both drivers and pedestrians can do to increase the safety of our roads. For some tips, read “New Jersey has the most dangerous roads for pedestrians.”

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Practice-Driving-Hours-300x200Everyone is familiar with the saying practice makes perfect; New Jersey officials are hoping it also makes for safer young drivers.

According to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, drivers between 16 and 19 are about three times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident. Some of that increased risk can be attributed to inexperience. Hoping to improve those statistics, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy this month signed a law requiring supervised practice driving hours for drivers younger than 21 as a stipulation for obtaining their driver’s license. It is yet to be seen, however, how completion of those practice hours will be certified.

To learn more about this new law, which is expected to go into effect sometime in 2025, read “NJ Mandates 50 Practice Driving Hours for Teens – How Can You Prove It?”

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Automatic-Driving-Features-300x200Each year auto manufacturers install more and more automatic features designed to make their vehicles safer for drivers and passengers alike. These features include sensors that automatically turn on headlights, dim high beams, even apply the brakes when an obstacle is detected, all so that drivers have less to think about. And therein may lie the problem.

It was announced this month that Tesla, the automaker known for its electric vehicles, has agreed to recall almost 2 million of its vehicles sold in the U.S. This recall follows a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a number of accidents that have occurred while the vehicles’ Autopilot feature was engaged. Unlike the name implies, the Autopilot system does not replace the need for a human driver. In fact, the system contains features designed to ensure drivers continue to pay attention to both their vehicles and road conditions when in motion. In question, however, is whether these features are enough to ensure drivers don’t become complacent behind the wheel. To learn more, read “Tesla Recalls Nearly All Vehicles Sold In US.”

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Man carving turkey at Thanksgiving table. Tips for avoiding Holiday accidents.Thanksgiving is just a week away. If you’re hosting this year’s feast for family and friends, you’re most likely consumed with planning the menu to make sure your guests are well-fed. But while you’re at it, don’t neglect their safety … or yours.

This holiday has the dubious distinction of being the number one day for home cooking fires as well as ranking among the top 10 deadliest days to drive. Paying close attention to these and other hidden holiday hazards can help avoid accidental injury to yourself or your guests. For a list of Thanksgiving safety tips to consider, read “The Most Common Thanksgiving Safety Hazards and How to Protect Your Family.”

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Orange jack-o-lantern buckets with Halloween candy held by children in costumes.The frights and thrills associated with Halloween are meant to be in good fun. Children dress in costumes and venture past the witches, ghosts and goblins that haunt their neighborhoods for the night, to be rewarded with candy and other edible treats. But, for children with food allergies, those treats can lead to serious injury.

Reading the ingredients on food packaging labels doesn’t always tell the whole story. Understanding the manufacturing process can be just as important as knowing the ingredients when it comes to avoiding allergens. For example, did you know that those miniature candies so popular this time of year might not be the same as their full-size counterparts?

To learn what you can do to make sure all the ghouls and goblins who ring your doorbell this Halloween can safely enjoy their treats, read “Avoid a Food Allery Scare on Halloween.”

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Motorcyclist are most vulnerable to serious traffic accidents.The number of motorcyclists killed in traffic accidents in 2021 represents 14% of all reported traffic fatalities nationwide for that year, yet motorcycles accounted for less than 1% of vehicle miles traveled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last month in New Jersey alone, there were at least five reported motorcycle fatalities.

New Jersey already has laws in place to help protect motorcyclists, but the stark numbers have led at least one State news publication to call for the establishment of a task force to study what more can be done to protect these riders from death or serious injuries. Read “Task force needed to combat motorcycle deaths | Jersey Journal editorial” to learn more.

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Island wildfire and other natural disasters bring out scam artists to prey on those who want to helpNatural disasters like the recent wildfires in Hawaii have a way of bringing people together. It is common for those not directly affected by the devastation to want to reach out and help those who have lost so much. But while events like these bring out the best in some people, they also bring out the worst in others.

Scam artists often use news of destruction to prey on people looking to offer monetary aid to those directly affected. There are ways, however, that you can help without becoming a victim yourself.  For tips on how to avoid playing into scam artists’ schemes when attempting to help victims of the Hawaii fires or any other natural disaster read, “NJ Attorney General: Help Hawaii Fire Victims Without Being Scammed.”

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Child and parent riding bikes at sunsetThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced a recall of children’s bicycles due to a defect that causes the handlebars and stem of the bike to loosen or, in some cases, detach from the frame. To date, this defect has resulted in about 19 reported injuries.

The recall affects more than 80,000 bikes manufactured by woom Bikes USA and designed for children ranging in age from toddler to 14 years. For additional information concerning this recall and the bicycles affected, read “Thousands of children’s bicycles recalled after reports of handlebars detaching.”

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Damaged side view mirror on parked car resulting from motor vehicle accidentMost drivers know that if they are involved in a crash, the right thing to do is remain calm, assess the situation, and report the accident to the proper authorities. Running is never the answer. Still, according to the AAA, the number of hit-and-run accidents has been on the rise across the nation recently.

Leaving the scene of an accident, no matter how minor, can only complicate the consequences. New Jersey law states that anyone who leaves the scene after hitting a person or property could be charged with a hit-and-run. This holds true even if you only hit a mailbox or sideswipe a parked car. The consequences of these charges are in addition to any charges resulting from the accident itself and will vary depending on the severity of the crash. To learn more about what leaving the scene of an accident could cost you, read “What to do after a hit-and-run in New Jersey.”

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glaring headlights attributed to nighttime motor vehicle accidentsA combination of new LED lights, taller vehicles and fewer checks for headlight misalignment adds up to a glaring problem for nighttime drivers in the U.S. Although it is difficult to calculate how many motor vehicle accidents can be attributed to headlight glare, statistics do show that the fatality rate for nighttime accidents is three times higher than that of daytime accidents. Improving conditions to help reduce these crashes has long been a goal of safety regulators and the U.S. automobile industry.

Europe has been using adaptive driving beams to combat this problem for over a decade. Why is it taking so long to implement this technology in the U.S.? Read “Blinded by the light: Cars in the U.S. still lack glare-reducing headlights” to learn more.

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