Full Notification

PRESS RELEASE
SEA GIRT POLICE DEPARTMENT
Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation
On Saturday May 25th, between the hours of 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, the Sea Girt Police Department will be conducting a pedestrian decoy operation on First Avenue at Beacon Boulevard. This intersection will be targeted due to the high number of pedestrians who cross at this intersection due to its proximity to the beach and bathing pavilion. The Sea Girt Police Department receives complaints from citizens about drivers who often fail to stop as required.
The purpose of the pedestrian decoy operation is to target drivers who are discourteous to pedestrians crossing in designated crosswalks and help educate drivers who are not familiar with the pedestrian right of way laws.
During the operation an officer, in plain clothes will cross the roadway at clearly marked, designated crosswalks. These officers will make it clear that they intend to cross the roadway. Violators of the pedestrian right of way laws will be stopped and educated in an effort to prevent future pedestrian collisions. Officers will also take the opportunity to educate pedestrians who are observed crossing in areas other than designated crosswalks.
In 2012 there were 553 traffic fatalities in the State of New Jersey and 163 of those were pedestrians1. In Monmouth County there were 10 pedestrians killed in traffic collisions in 20122. New Jersey has a high pedestrian fatality rate, at 1.58 per 100,000 population, it ranks 11th worst in the nation (2010)3.
Drivers in the State of New Jersey are required to stop and stay stopped for pedestrians who are crossing a roadway in a crosswalk and no driver shall pass a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian crossing in a crosswalk. Pedestrians crossing New Jersey’s streets shall cross at crosswalks when available.
Pedestrian decoy enforcement operations are expected to take place periodically throughout the busy summer months in Sea Girt, but pedestrian safety is a concern everyday and therefore our officers will routinely enforce these laws at all times while out on patrol.
The Sea Girt Police Department hopes, through publicizing this enforcement operation in advance, the number of violations will be greatly reduced and pedestrian crossings will be safer.
Questions can be directed to: Chief Robert Conway (732-449-7300 ext 407)
Detective John DeMillio (732-449-7300 ext 432)
1 http://www.njsp.org/info/fatalacc/pdf/swfcs2_12.pdf 2 http://www.njsp.org/info/fatalacc/pdf/ptccr_12.pdf 3 PSE Training Resource – Civic Eye Collabrative