OCTOBER 2015
Timothy Franco, President
Ken Drost, First Vice-President
OUR 41st YEAR
Tony Parenti, Executive Director, Editor
Mark Wilson, Operations Secretary
NJPTOA - P.0. Box 664, Voorhees, NJ 08043 - 856-220-1433 – njptoa@hotmail.com. Website – njptoa.org
NEXT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7, 2015 beginning at 10:00 A.M.
Meeting will be at Pierre's, 582 George's Rd, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852. Speaker will explain his
product that enhances vehicle spotlights so images are much clearer.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: I am disappointed to see road deaths in the Nation are up but delighted to
say road deaths are down in NJ. Make no mistake the downturn in NJ came about only through your
efforts to make our roadways safer through traffic law enforcement. It is sad to say that we do not see
much in traffic safety coming out of legislation in Trenton…too bad. Traffic safety begins with
the regulatory framework that governs our roads. Bill (S3133) has been introduced in the NJ Senate that
is worthy of our support. The bill “Establishes that police vehicles have a useful life of five years and
allows bonding for such vehicles.” Police deserve to drive the newest and safest cars available and not
worn out clunkers with high mileage. Remember October 10th is “Put The Brakes On Fatalities” Day. The
goal is for zero traffic fatalities nationwide. The annual Drive Safely Work Week is October 5-9. Please
note the change in our next meeting location – Pierre’s, 582 Georges Road, Monmouth Junction, NJ. I
will always welcome your questions, comments or suggestions. Think Safety, Tim
FEDERAL COURT ALLOWS SPEEDING STOP FOR LOUD, FAST LOOKING VEHICLE: Ohio's
Supreme Court ruled that speeding tickets could be issued by police based on a visual guess of the
defendant's speed. State lawmakers rallied within a matter of days calling for a revision to the state's
speeding law that would overturn the precedent. Now a federal judge believes traffic stops can be made
based on visual estimates anywhere in the country that falls under federal jurisdiction. A US Park Police
Officer was standing behind a bus stop having pulled over another motorist. He says he heard the loud
roar of an auto engine and, from a hundred yards away, he guessed it was traveling 20 MPH over the 30
MPH speed limit. He waved his flashlight, ordering the vehicle to stop. A US Magistrate Judge believed
the Park Police officer and said, "The Officer’s belief that defendant was speeding was not premised on a
mere hunch, but rather, on his observations that he heard defendant's loud engine accelerating towards
him and observed defendant's car traveling at a very high rate of speed." He also wrote. "The officer
attests he was trained and certified to visually and accurately estimate the speed of a moving vehicle as
part of his law enforcement duties." Because the driver’s motion to dismiss the traffic stop was rejected,
the evidence that he was driving under the influence of alcohol will be considered by the court.
NY CITY GETTING SMART TECHNOLOGY: U.S. DOT is providing $20 million to launch a pilot
program in New York City that equip thousands of cars, taxis and buses with smart technology to make
the streets safer for drivers and pedestrians. The program allows drivers to get real-time information from
other vehicles on the road, and from infrastructure like traffic lights. The goal is to alert drivers to potential
hazards — like a stalled car up ahead or a nearby vehicle in their blind spot. Smart devices will also be
installed on traffic lights along First, Second, Fifth and Sixth avenues in Manhattan between 14th and
67th streets, and on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn between Tillary Street and Grand Army Plaza. The
pilot also aims to create a smartphone app that pedestrian and cyclists could download, which would
automatically alert nearby drivers as they cross the street.
CALIFORNIA TO ALLOW ELECTRONIC LICENSE PLATES: Use of electronic license plates is slated
to be signed into law by the Governor. Electronic plates allow remotely posted alerts on a license plate to
indicate whether the vehicle is uninsured, or if their driver’s license has been suspended. The new plates
would also allow authorities to post an Amber Alert across the screen, and even a “stolen” notice on the
plate. The bill describes the initiative as a pilot program scheduled to go into effect by 2017. Other states,
including New Jersey, also are looking at the technology.
NEW JERSEY POLICE TRAFFIC OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
PAGE 2
As of September 22, 2015 there were 377 fatalities on NJ roads compared to 449 as of September 15,
2014, A DECREASE OF 72 DEATHS.
COUNTY
Atlantic
Burlington
Cape May
Essex
Hudson
Mercer
Monmouth
Ocean
Salem
Sussex
Warren
2015
2014
CHANGE
19
31
09
21
17
16
27
28
05
07
02
30
18
11
31
16
21
29
32
15
05
04
-11
+13
-02
-10
+01
-10
-02
-04
-10
+02
-02
COUNTY
Bergen
Camden
Cumberland
Gloucester
Hunterdon
Middlesex
Morris
Passaic
Somerset
Union
2015
2014
CHANGE
23
25
18
17
04
29
21
20
18
20
30
28
15
19
04
24
11
20
17
19
-07
-03
+03
-02
-0+05
+10
-0+01
+01
Deaths: Driver 195/220; Passenger 62/66; Pedalcyclist 13/09; Pedestrian 107/121. Crashes 351/370.
LABOR DAY DEATHS: 2015 – 4. Nutley, Pedestrian. Egg Harbor Township, Pedestrian. Old Bridge,
Passenger Car Passenger. Winslow, Motorcycle Driver. 2014 - 4. Hamilton, Passenger Car Passenger.
East Windsor, Passenger Car Driver. Upper Township, Passenger Car Driver. South Plainfield,
Passenger Car Driver.
“DANGER LIES AHEAD”: The National Safety Council said nearly 19,000 people died in traffic crashes
across the United States from January to June, and 2.2 million were seriously injured. This represents a
14 percent increase in deaths and a 30 percent jump in serious injuries from the first six months of 2014.
NSC said, "The trend we are seeing on our roadways is like a flashing red light – danger lies ahead.” "Be
a defensive driver and make safe decisions behind the wheel. Your life really depends on it.” To help
stay safe while driving they recommend drivers: Ensure every passenger buckles up, designate an
alcohol- and drug-free driver or arrange alternate transportation, get plenty of sleep and take regular
breaks to avoid fatigue, never use a cell phone – handheld or hands-free – behind the wheel. Meanwhile,
motor vehicle deaths continue to decline in New Jersey.
DWI CHECKPOINTS CAN BE EFFECTIVE: DWI checkpoints don't always result in a lot of arrests, but
they are a good deterrent if they are visible and well publicized. The Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety research indicates that police don't conduct them often enough. The latest survey of highway
safety offices found that police in 38 states and the District of Columbia conducted sobriety checkpoints
in 2011. An estimated 58 percent of all agencies conducted sobriety checkpoints in 2011-12, but most
conducted them infrequently. Half of state enforcement agencies reported conducting checkpoints once
a month or more, compared with 12 to 14 percent of municipal or county agencies. Most agencies
reported using at least seven officers at checkpoints, and slightly more than a quarter reported using
more than 15 officers. Research shows small-scale checkpoints with 3-5 officers can be conducted
safely and are effective in reducing alcohol-impaired driving. Just over 10,000 people died in crashes
involving drivers with illegal blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) in 2013. Since 1994, each year about a
third of crash deaths have occurred in crashes involving drivers with BACs of 0.08 percent or higher
REDUCE POLICE DEATHS: According to a study more effort is needed to prevent injuries among
police officers involved in traffic collisions – including those that occur when the vehicle is not moving.
Researchers analyzed details from 854 police-involved crashes after surveying 16 local, county and state
law-enforcement agencies. They found officers seated in stationary vehicles were at a greater risk of
being injured in a crash than when they were driving at low speeds. Police officers also were more likely
to be injured in a crash when responding to an emergency than when driving on routine patrol. In
addition motorcycle officers were about 5 times more likely to be injured in a crash than officers in police
cruisers and about 10 times more likely than officers riding in sport utility vehicles.
ESCAPE THE NYPD - NOT: A drunken Bronx, NY man tried to outrun NYPD while cruising on his jet
ski in the Manhasset Bay. Unfortunately for him there was an off duty NYPD officer on his fishing boat
who blocked the skier’s escape until the Marine Police arrested him for boating while intoxicated and
resisting arrest.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING: OCTOBER 7, 2015 AT
Pierre's, 582 George's Rd, Monmouth Junction, NJ
REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELTS AND BULLETPROOF VEST WHILE ON DUTY
NJ Police Traffic Officers Association
PO Box 664
Voorhees, NJ 008043
856-220-1433
E-MAIL: njptoa@hotmail.com
2015 INVOICE
DATE
1/1/2015
ITEM
Annual Membership Dues for Police Department
AMOUNT
$50.00
TOTAL:
DATE: 1/1/2014 SIGNED:
$50.00
Timothy Franco, President.
Our Tax ID number is 22-2344113
Copies of purchase orders can be faxed to 856-783-0012 or scanned for
an e-mail and sent to NJPTOA@Hotmail.com.
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