New Jersey commission would seek to eliminate traffic fatalities, serious injuries

The New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee advanced legislation establishing the “New Jersey Target Zero Commission.”

The commission aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2040. It would study and review all aspects of roadway safety to create an action plan to ensure access, equity, and mobility for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

Traffic violence across the nation has surged, and New Jersey is no exception. In 2022, New Jersey traffic deaths reached 706, a 15-year high. In 2021, pedestrian and cyclist deaths hit 30-year highs, at 220 and 26, respectively.

Nationwide, the number of pedestrian fatalities increased by 46% between 2010 and 2019, while 2021 saw the highest number of traffic deaths in 16 years at 42,939.