Governor McGreevey’s Highway Safety Task Force released its twelve-point "Safety First" program this week. Although the program was created in response to a string of tractor-trailer crashes that killed three people and shut down I-78, I-80, and I-287 on the same day last November, it falls short of fully addressing the dangers large trucks pose to NJ drivers.

Several of the program’s provisions – including increased truck inspections and investment in roadway safety features – echo elements of the twelve-point truck safety platform submitted by the Tri-State Campaign, local elected officials, and other groups to State DOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere in January. Other Campaign topics of concern, such as incident management, signage, and the safety incentives for truck drivers and fleet owners, also found their way into the "Safety First" program.

But the "Safety First" program does not go far enough to improve highway truck safety. The Campaign’s platform – also endorsed by The New Jersey Police Traffic Officers Association and thirteen mayors – calls for extending the current truck route restrictions for all tractor trailers as well as those trucks making in-state trips. It also calls for restoring the authority of municipal and county police to conduct truck roadside inspections. "Safety First" omits these measures, which would remove a substantial number of dangerous trucks from more local highways.

Instead, several measures in the Governor’s program focus on New Jersey drivers. These include increased driver education on truck-car interaction, and the doubling of fines for speeding on designated corridors. An editorial in The Star-Ledger questioned the effectiveness of raising fines, saying out of the entire plan, higher fines were the "least likely to accomplish anything."

Further, as The Trenton Times pointed out, Governor McGreevey’s record in persuading the Legislature to enact highway safety measures is "somewhat flawed." Currently, a bill to forbid motorists from using hand-held cell phones remains on hold.

The "Safety First" program was developed by a Highway Safety Task Force, appointed by the Governor, that is to become a permanent entity. Members were appointed last November by the Governor and include the DOT, State Police, the AAA, the New Jersey Motor Truck Association, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. 

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