Deaths on N.J. roads dip to 20-year low

The number of people who died in traffic accidents on New Jersey's roadways dipped to its lowest level in a generation last year as the state recorded 718 fatalities, according to preliminary statistics released yesterday.

Twenty years ago, it was not unusual for New Jersey to record a thousand or more annual traffic deaths. But laws requiring motorists to wear seat belts, numerous technological improvements to vehicles and a crackdown on drunken driving have kept the annual fatalities under 800 in the last decade, with the total falling to 723 twice before.

Motor vehicle experts said the dip to historically low levels in 2007, particularly after fatalities spiked to 774 the previous year, gives them hope that motorists may be paying better attention to the road.

Perhaps it was Gov. Jon Corzine's near-fatal crash in April on the Garden State Parkway, they said. It could have been the January crash in Freehold Township that claimed the lives of three teenagers and an older woman and prompted a review of the state's teen driving laws.

Whatever the reason, Tracy Noble, a spokeswoman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said, "Motorists are waking up and realizing that traffic fatalities are one of the largest epidemics in our nation and that most of the time they are avoidable."

At the same time, experts said the fact 718 people died last year shows there is room for improvement, since 85 percent of all accidents can be attributed to driver error -- such as speeding, drunken driving, talking on a cell phone and texting while driving.

"The good news is that is fewer than last year, but the bad news is it's still 718 people," said state Highway Traffic Safety Director Pamela Fischer. "That's 718 families who have to go through this horrible trauma. We need everybody to think about that because you don't want to become one of those statistics, and you don't want a loved one to become a statistic."

Of those killed last year, 427 were behind the wheel at the time of the accident while 135 where passengers in a vehicle, Fischer said, warning those numbers could increase as people hurt in accidents die from those injuries in the coming months.

An additional 144 fatalities were pedestrians struck as they crossed the street, down from 167 the previous year. Fischer attributed the decrease in part to Corzine's initiative to improve pedestrian safety by cracking down on violations, stepping up efforts to educate the public about pedestrian safety, and improving roadways for walkers. There were 12 bicycle fatalities, the same number as the previous year.

Stephen Carrellas, New Jersey chapter coordinator of the National Motorists Association, said the decrease last year may not indicate a trend because auto accidents are random and can go up or down in a given year. Still, he said, the fact auto fatalities have been relatively stable in New Jersey is impressive since there were more motorists driving more miles last year compared with any previous year.

"It indicates an even greater level of safety," he said. "Considering we're a dense state and we can get some interesting weather, we're probably doing pretty good that we're flat. The question is whether the trend is still downward moving. Just given time, given the turnover of the vehicle fleet, the improvement of teen safety, I'm pretty sure we'll be able to bring the fatality rate down."