Newark Cops Crack Down On Speeding After 3 Kids Hit, Hospitalized

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police say that local motorists may be slowing down and driving more carefully around West Kinney and Howard Streets after a car hit three children as they were walking to school last month.

Newark police have stepped up traffic enforcement efforts in the area following a pedestrian crash that injured three boys on March 22. Emergency responders transported the children to University Hospital, where they were treated and released, authorities said.

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Although a crossing guard was posted at the location when the incident occurred, Newark public safety officials say they have implemented additional enforcement efforts to increase traffic safety in the area and to prevent future pedestrian-related injuries.

“There has been a noticeable decrease, both in the number of speeding summonses issued and in the severity of the speeding and other moving violations since implementing these additional enforcement tools,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “We will continue taking steps to ensure traffic safety and will expand these efforts throughout the city as needed.”

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According to police:

• Since March 23, the Police Division’s Traffic Section has deployed a radar car to this location on school days to conduct strict enforcement. This enforcement campaign has resulted in 84 speeding summonses, three summonses for failure to yield to a crossing guard's stop paddle, 78 other moving violations and a total of 165 summonses issued.
• The NPD Traffic Section has requested that a study of the location be conducted by the Department of Engineering, Division of Traffic and Signals, to determine whether speed humps and/or a traffic signal can be installed at the location.
• The Traffic Section coordinated with the Newark Office of Emergency Management for the deployment of two message boards at the location to warn motorists of the 25 mph speed limit and to “Watch for Pedestrians.”

A follow-up investigation is being conducted regarding the March 22 incident.

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