The Lyndhurst Police Department will be out in force over the next several months, enforcing New Jersey Law requiring motor vehicles to stop and stay stopped for a pedestrian crossing a roadway within any marked crosswalk.
Some of this enforcement will be done with the use of plain-clothes police officers as decoys within the crosswalks. The goal of the program is primarily to educate drivers.
But, drivers beware — motorists who violate the law are liable for up to a $200 fine, two driver’s license points, 15 days community service, and insurance surcharges.
This type of enforcement is taking place statewide and for good reason.
New Jersey experienced an overall 19% decline in recorded traffic deaths between 2007 and 2009; however, the number of pedestrian fatalities has risen recently and now accounts for 27% of all fatalities.
Between 2001 and 2009, there were 1,356 pedestrian fatalities in New Jersey and in 2009 alone there were 6,026 pedestrians injured in motor vehicle traffic. In April 2010, New Jersey amended the state crosswalk laws requiring drivers to “stop and stay stopped for a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk.”
The law also specifies the responsibilities of pedestrians and sets out language stating that “no pedestrian shall suddenly 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.”
Pedestrians are also required to “obey pedestrian signals and use crosswalks at signalized intersections.”
Pedestrian violators face a $54 fine.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.