Jersey City Online Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety The Division of Highway Traffic Safety assists county

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Seat Belts Why Buckle Up? Click here to find out.

The Division of Highway Traffic Safety assists county, municipal and law enforcement agencies with education, public awareness and enforcement of the bicycle helmet law and other bicycle safety issues.

Each year, bicyclists are killed or injured in New Jersey due to bicycle crashes. Many bicycle deaths result from bicycle-motor vehicle collisions. However, injuries can happen anywhere, including parks, bike paths and driveways, and often do not involve motor vehicles.

Head injury is the most serious injury type and the most common cause of death among bicyclists. The most severe injuries are those to the brain that cause permanent damage.

Never ride a bicycle without a helmet. New Jersey law states that anyone under the age of fourteen riding a bike, even as a passenger, must be wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet which meets the standards of the Snell Memorial Foundation, the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

A child who violates this law will be warned of the violation by the enforcing official. The parent or legal guardian of the person also may be fined up to $25 for the first offense and up to $100 for a subsequent offense. Bicycle helmets should be used by everyone who rides, as helmets have been shown to reduce head injuries by 85 percent. For children, use the extra padding that comes with the helmet to ensure proper fit.

Have you been "Saved" by a Bicycle Helmet?

If you or someone you know has been saved from serious injury or death during a crash by wearing a bike helmet, contact the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety to receive an application for membership in our "Saved by the Helmet Club".

Pedestrian Safety

New Jersey exceeds the number of pedestrian injury crashes and fatalities compared to the nation as a whole. To combat the problem, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety assists local and county agencies in the development of pedestrian safety programs involving Education, Enforcement, and Engineering.

The NJDHTS currently funds comprehensive pedestrian safety programs in Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, and numerous smaller municipalities. Results of the programs are encouraging. During the first year of the Elizabeth pedestrian safety program, crashes involving pedestrians decreased by 62 percent. In Jersey City, the reduction during the first year of the program was 17 percent.

The Education component of the pedestrian program involves getting the pedestrian safety message to all members of the community, with a special emphasis on three high-risk groups: children, senior citizens, and non-English speaking residents.

The Enforcement component entails targeted police patrols at high pedestrian-crash locations in the community. During these patrols warnings and summonses are issued to motorists and pedestrians who's actions put pedestrians at risk.

The Engineering component provides traffic engineering assistance such as enhanced crosswalk striping and signs.

Let's prevent traffic accidents involving children by teaching them good pedestrian safety habits. Go over these tips with your children and then take them for a walk to make sure they practice what they have learned.

Cross at intersections only. The intersection is where drivers expect to see you.
Never cross from in-between parked cars. Many children are killed or injured in non-intersection accidents when they run into the roadway from between parked cars.

Before crossing, look left, right and left again. And always listen for oncoming traffic.

Make sure you can be seen at night. Wear white or light colored clothing when walking at night. Attach reflective materials to coats and shoes or wear reflective armbands.

In areas with no sidewalk, walk as far off the roadway as possible. Remember to walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.

Obey all traffic signs and signals.

Children should be discouraged from playing on driveways and sidewalks near the roadway.

Seat Belts Why Buckle Up?

Studies show seat belts do save lives and reduce injuries during crashes.
Seat belts work with air bags to protect occupants. Air bags alone are not enough to safeguard occupants.
More than 2,000 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers died on New Jersey's roadways in the past 10 years.
Approximately 700 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers were thrown out of their vehicles during crashes and killed in the past 10 years.

New Jersey’s Seat Belt Law:

Applies to all passenger vehicles that are required to be equipped with seatbelts.
Applies to drivers and front seat passengers.
Makes the driver responsible for seat belt use by front seat passengers who are under the age of 18.

New Jersey’s Child Passenger Law:

Up to age 18 months, children must be in a child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle.
Between 18 months and age 5, children in the rear seat must be buckled by the vehicle's seat belt or in a child safety seat.
Children in the front seat must be in a child safety seat up to age 5.

Child Safety Seats
...
Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death of children over the age of six months in the United States. The proper use of child car seats is one of the simplest and most effective methods available for protecting the lives of our young children in the event of a motor vehicle crash.

Please make sure that children are properly protected while traveling in a motor vehicle. Only the correct use of child car seats will offer the protection your child needs. So please be aware of the facts listed on this page regarding the proper use of child car seats.

Find A NJ Certified
Child Seat Safety Technician
(inspector)

New Jersey
Child Seat Safety Check
Schedule

New Jersey
Child Seat Safety Training
Program

There are over 70 different types of child car seats on the market today. Each one must meet federal standards and all provide good protection for your child when used correctly. The "right" seat for you is largely a matter of personal choice. Choose a seat that fits your child and your car, read the instructions carefully, and use the seat correctly on every trip.

Correct use is easy if you follow four steps:

1. Read the manufacturer's instructions for your car seat.

2. Face the seat in the proper direction

Infant seats always face backwards. Baby rides in a semi-reclining position facing the rear of the car.
Convertible seats face backwards in a semi-reclining position for infants under 20 pounds and under 1 year of age, and forward in an upright position for toddlers.

3. Secure your child snugly in the car seat.

Always buckle the seat's harness system securely to hold your child safely in the seat. Allow no more than one finger-width of slack between your child's collarbone and the harness strap.

4. Secure the child car seat with a seat belt.

Anchoring the seat properly with a seat belt is critical. A seat that is not buckled securely to the car can tip over, slide sideways or, in a crash, be ejected from the car.
Check your instruction manual to find out how to route the seat belt properly and fasten it tightly.

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