Community Corner

It's 'Drive Safely Work Week'

Area organizations hope commuters are paying attention on the road.

Quit cutting through lanes on Speedwell Avenue. Stop going right on red at James and South. And, for that matter, let that elderly lady cross there, instead of being the last person to make the light.

Morristown commuters should do these things every day. But the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety wants them to be particularly aware from Oct. 4-8, which it has called "Drive Safely Work Week."

The week is supported in Morristown by TransOptions, which provides commuting options to residents in Morris, Sussex, Warren and suburban Essex, Passaic and Union counties.

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"Any non-driving activity that takes focus away from driving and increases the risk of crashing can endanger the safety of drivers, their passengers, other motorists or pedestrians," TransOptions President John F. Ciaffone said. "Distracted driving is also against the law in New Jersey. Drivers face a $100 fine, plus court costs and fees, for talking or texting on a hand-held cell phone as a 'primary' motor vehicle offense."

NETS hopes people to focus, rather than multitask, when behind the wheel. The non-profit partnership offered the following reasons to remain engaged on the road.

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  • When in the office, the ability to multitask is a desirable skill. However, when we're driving, it's important to focus on the task at hand.
  • There are so many skills used to safely drive a car that, in reality, driving itself is multitasking.
  • Adding non-driving tasks to the already-demanding load of coordinating your eyes, ears, hands, feet and mind in safely operating a vehicle is never a good idea.

Click here to find free activities to help an employer launch or reinforce a cell phone use policy, increase awareness of issues related to distracted driving and develop strategies to minimize distractions.


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