New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a new bill in Maplewood aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The legislation, A4765/S4146, mandates the inclusion of information about driver responsibilities towards pedestrians on bicycles or personal conveyances in both the driver's education curriculum and examination. It also outlines penalties for non-compliance.
The bill follows the establishment of the Target Zero Commission, a 13-member group tasked with eliminating serious roadway injuries and fatalities by 2040. This initiative addresses the rising number of pedestrian fatalities in New Jersey.
The signing event included the family of Nikhil Badlani, who died in a traffic accident in 2011, and Cate Schoenborn, a student injured last fall when struck by a car.
Leigh Ann Von Hagen from Rutgers University's Voorhees Transportation Center remarked, "This bill marks a crucial step in advancing awareness of New Jersey’s Safe Passing Law and, in particular, ensuring drivers fully understand their responsibility to protect pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users when they’re behind the wheel."
