Wall Police Join Route 70 Crackdown On Dangerous Driving

In response to an increase in crashes and fatalities along Route 70 in Monmouh and Ocean counties, law enforcement is joining together for a traffic safety initiative to remind drivers to drive responsibly.

The traffic safety enforcement initiative, announced Monday by Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato, includes participation from seven towns that Route 70 passes through, starting from Brielle at the eastern end of the road in Monmouth County to Manchester.

The targeted enforcement will take place on Friday, July 20 and Wednesday, Aug. 1, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's office.

"The initiative is resulting from the numerous serious motor vehicle accidents that have occurred on this highway," Della Fave said. In 2016 there were 548 motor vehicle crashes on Route 70, with four fataliies, out of 41 fatal crashes within Ocean County that year. In 2017, that number jumped to nine fatalities, 19 percent of the 53 fatalities that happened in the county last year.

This safety action will be addressed through three critical components; engineering, education and enforcement. This is a multi-jurisdictional effort supported by the police chiefs and supervisors from the following jurisdictions:

• Brick Police Department
• Brielle Police Department
• Lakehurst Police Department
• Lakewood Police Department
• Manchester Police Department
• Toms River Police Department
• Wall Township Police Department
• Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office
• NJ State Police Troop “C” – Tactical Patrol Unit
• NJ State Police – D.U.I. Enforcement Patrol
• Ocean County Road Department
• Ocean County Engineering Department

"The Policing Partnership details have managed to raise significant awareness among the motoring public regarding roadway safety issues, but more important it has led to coordinated efforts by Ocean County law enforcement to take important steps toward making commuting local roadways safer," Coronato said.

The enforcement partnership has been put in place on Routes 539, 528, 35 and 37 previously to address reports of increased accidents and dangerous driving behaviors, Della Fave said.

There will be strict enforcement of various moving and equipment violations "that are contributory causes to crashes," he said. They include, driving while under the influence, aggressive drivers, improper turning, failing to yield, failing to keep right, improper passing, inattentive driving, disregard of traffic signal, excessive speed, following too close, pedestrian violations and various commercial carrier violations such as overweight, equipment maintenance and brake pressure.

There also will be an automated license plate reader in use to identify those driving illegally, Della Fave said. Variable message signs will be in place by Tuesday and will read "Traffic Enforcement Detail in Effect" -""Obey All Traffic Laws."

Ocean County Prosecutor's Office personnel assigned to the detail will be driving unmarked police vehicles, he said.

"We continue to ask the motoring public to police themselves by simply driving responsibly," Coronato said.

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Photo provided by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office