photo courtesy of the Village of Ridgewood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, as the crisp fall air settles in and days get shorter, October is a perfect time to remind everyone about the importance of pedestrian safety. Whether you’re driving through busy city streets or quiet neighborhoods, staying alert can help prevent accidents and keep pedestrians safe.
Here are some key reminders for drivers, courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
1. Watch for Pedestrians Everywhere
Pedestrians can be anywhere, so it’s important to stay vigilant, especially in areas where they are most likely to be crossing.
2. Exercise Extra Caution in Poor Visibility
Nighttime, rain, and fog can make it harder to spot people walking. Slow down and pay closer attention when driving in these conditions.
3. Slow Down at Crosswalks
When approaching a crosswalk, slow down and be ready to stop. Always give pedestrians the right of way, and never rush through an intersection.
4. Yield and Stop Back from Crosswalks
Make sure you’re stopping well back from crosswalks so other drivers can see pedestrians. If you’re too close, other vehicles may not have a clear view.
5. Never Pass Stopped Vehicles at Crosswalks
If a car is stopped at a crosswalk, it’s likely for a reason—there may be someone crossing that you can’t see. Always stop and wait until the crosswalk is clear.
6. Don’t Drive Under the Influence
This goes without saying, but driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts everyone at risk, including pedestrians. Stay sober behind the wheel.
7. Follow the Speed Limit
Especially in areas where pedestrians are common, like school zones and neighborhoods, it’s crucial to obey the speed limit. Kids can dart out unexpectedly, so slow and steady wins the race.
8. Be Cautious When Reversing
When backing out of parking spaces or driveways, double-check for any pedestrians, especially children who may be harder to spot.
Pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility, and by taking these steps, you can help make the roads safer for everyone this fall season. Let’s keep our streets pedestrian-friendly and accident-free!
How are you practicing pedestrian safety this October? Let us know in the comments!
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Remember, it’s all on YOU, the driver.
Pedestrians can do what they damn well please. Ignore don’t walk signs, jump in front of moving vehicles, cross in the middle of the block without looking.
Yeah, it’s all the drivers’ fault.
This 100%. Couldn’t agree more. With that attitude, we all know that it would definitely be all your fault. You don’t drive a dark colored SUV with front end damage resembling a crumpled human being do you?
I know so very true who came up with that damn law, 90% of the accidents are from pedestrians just walking out in a row without looking head down earbuds in looking at their phone, such bullshit whatever happened to teaching our kids to look both ways before walking into the street
From NJ:
“Pedestrians must:
Not leave a “curb or other place of safety” by walking or running into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield or stop. (39:4-36)
Yield to drivers when crossing a road at any point other than within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.
(39:4-36)
Yield to drivers at intersections where the pedestrian does not have a green “walk” signal and where drivers have a green signal. (39:4-32)
Walk on sidewalks where they are provided and accessible. (39:4-34)
Walk along the extreme left side of a highway or its shoulder when possible facing approaching traffic if there is no sidewalk.
(39:4-34)
Exercise due care for his/her safety. (39:4-36)
Not cross any highways having roadways separated by a median barrier except where provision is made for pedestrians to cross. (39:4-34)
Pedestrians risk $54 fines and community service is they fail to yield the right of way to motorists anywhere except at crosswalks.”
2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes
Title 39 – Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation
Section 39:4-36 – Driver to yield to pedestrians, exceptions; violations, penalties.
Universal Citation:
NJ Rev Stat § 39:4-36 (2023)
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39:4-36 Driver to yield to pedestrians, exceptions; violations, penalties.
39:4-36. a. The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except at crosswalks when the movement of traffic is being regulated by police officers or traffic control signals, or where otherwise regulated by municipal, county, or State regulation, and except where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided:
(1) The driver of a vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway within a marked crosswalk, when the pedestrian is upon, or within one lane of, the half of the roadway, upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. As used in this paragraph, “half of the roadway” means all traffic lanes conveying traffic in one direction of travel, and includes the entire width of a one-way roadway.
(2) No pedestrian shall leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield or stop.
(3) Whenever any vehicle is stopped to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.
(4) Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
(5) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a driver from the duty to exercise due care for the safety of any pedestrian upon a roadway. Nothing contained herein shall relieve a pedestrian from using due care for his safety.
b. A person violating any paragraph of subsection a. of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, pay a fine to be imposed by the court in the amount of $200. The court may also impose upon a person violating any paragraph of subsection a. of this section, a penalty of community service not to exceed 15 days in such form and on such terms as the court shall deem appropriate. If the violation results in serious bodily injury to a pedestrian, the person convicted of the violation shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500, and may additionally be subject to a sentence of imprisonment not to exceed 25 days, or a license suspension not to exceed six months, or both, in the discretion of the court. As used in this section, “serious bodily injury” means serious bodily injury as defined in subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:11-1.
c. Of each fine imposed and collected pursuant to subsection b. of this section, $100 shall be forwarded to the State Treasurer who shall annually deposit the moneys into the “Pedestrian Safety Enforcement and Education Fund” created by section 1 of P.L.2005, c.86 (C.39:4-36.2).
d. In the event of a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian within a marked crosswalk, or at an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, there shall be a permissive inference that the driver did not exercise due care for the safety of the pedestrian.
amended 1951, c.23, s.26; 1981, c.220, s.3; 2005, c.86, s.2; 2009, c.312; 2009, c.319, s.2.
Interestingly, according to the National Safety Council, the demographic with the greatest number of pedestrian deaths (for the year 2022) was the 55 to 64 year-old cohort, representing 22.6% of all traffic related fatalities, followed by the 35-44 year old cohort at 20.2%. Who would have figured it was a bunch of middle-aged morons with their iPods and careless grannies doom scrolling through Instagram that were the bulk of the roadkill. Definitely not setting a good example for those kids you’re talking about.
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/road-users/pedestrians/data-details/
I was driving near the train station just before 7am this morning. Like every morning, there were a number of people crossing (not in crosswalks) in their dark clothing when the sun had not yet risen. I am always aware for this because I live in the neighborhood however if you are not familiar, it would be very easy to have an accident because someone is rushing to meet a train and not dressed to be visible in the dark. I drive extra cautiously for this reason, well under the speed limit in certain areas because I have had people pop out between cars with their coffee/bagel not caring if I am going to stop or not. I just pray that some teenager, elderly person who may not be aware of this daily occurrence may hit someone. Whether it is the pedestrian or drivers fault, if you injure someone with your car, it will impact your life negatively.
REGARDLESS of the law or the fault of the driver it is PARAMOUNT that the Pedestrian MUST be responsible for their own LIFE.
The point being that, in the contest between man and vehicle, the issue is certain.
It’s not a contest between man and vehicle. The vehicle is not auto-nomous. It’s between man and man driving vehicle.
The point being that the vehicle will not be charged with vehicular manslaughter, despite the driver’s self-righteousness.
yes.
another valid point made.
….. SO WHAT.
When “the man” in the car hits the pedestrian.
The pedestrian LOSES.
At best they are injured.
At worst, they are DEAD.
So GREAT. The driver of the car was WRONG, Breaking the Law, Drunk, Reckless, a Criminal, a Bad Person, an A$$hole.
Maybe “the man” driving the car, even goes to jail.
Maybe “the man” driving the car is also killed.
AGAIN…. SO WHAT.
The pedestrian is STILL DEAD.
IT IS INCUMBENT on the pedestrian TO PROCECT THEIR OWN LIFE.
EVEN IF “the man” driving the car is WRONG and the Pedestrian is RIGHT.
What are you not getting?
You don’t have to shout. We get it. We got it before. And you don’t have to shield us from your borderline murderous rage with dead pedestrians. We know you don’t care about dead pedestrians, so stop using them as a prop in your sanctimonious little Physics-Uber-Alles morality play . And please calm down before you get behind the wheel again.
You are delusional, living in a fantasy world. You cannot even take heed when someone is trying to save people’s lives.
The only “borderline murderous rage” is yours for stupidly telling people to rely on others to protect their own lives.
Clearly it is YOU who do not care about dead pedestrians since you want them to rely on drivers being alert, following the law and driving perfectly all of the time.
If you truly cared about the lives of pedestrians, you would be shouting from the rooftops, telling pedestrians that
IT IS INCUMBENT on the pedestrian TO PROCECT THEIR OWN LIFE.
I just hope that you are not giving your ill-advised advice to trust drivers to you own family and friends, because you will be devastated when they die because they trusted a driver to protect them when they walked in front of a 5000lb SUV and died.
Can you go one day without threatening death on people?
I cannot believe in the CBD that there are no signs informing, reminding individuals in the crosswalk to look both ways for your safety. I think the village police department should take out an ad and put it in newspapers local media pop up signs all around town, informing kids pedestrians For their own safety that’s all.
YEAH !!!
I can’t believe it either.
How can we expect pedestrians to remember what they were taught in grammar school?
How can we expect pedestrians to have the self-preservation instincts and protect themselves when walking in the street ?
WE NEED more Ads, signs and laws to protect pedestrians.
Yeah.
That will fix everything
I cannot believe the CBD does not put up signs asking people to read signs designed for ignorant jacka$$es of all ages to use common sense.
At one point they actually did have signs urging people to “Cross Smart,” to only cross at the intersections. They were once hanging from the same posts that currently have the names and photos of deceased service members. They also had signs informing drivers not to text while driving, which itself is a distraction, but whatever.
Despite all the common sense responses here, the reality is that without the law, no driver will ever stop. The traffic is not like it was in the old days. Other that the middle of the night, it’s constant. The notion of crossing by looking both ways is no longer even realistic. The only alternative to the law is the installation of crossing lights at every crosswalk.
It’s amazing how many people just walk out between cars and middle of the night, what’s wrong with people? Are they that stupid?
I will pretend that is not a rhetorical question and simply answer “well, yes”
They were raised to trust government to protect them. They cannot conceive of the concept of self-reliance and self-preservation.
It’s amazing how many people just make shit up.