In New Jersey Advocates is calling for the passage of Senate Bill (S.) 3218. S. 3218 would create a pilot program allowing counties and municipalities to use speed safety cameras in school zones with a documented safety need. We urge the legislature to take swift action to implement this proven, lifesaving technology to curb speeding and the deadly consequences.
In 2024, there were an overall estimated 695 fatalities on New Jersey roads according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which is a 24 percent increase since 2015. Speeding is a major contributor to traffic fatalities as approximately a third of the fatalities in 2023 (31 percent, 190 lives lost) involved speeding and speeding related fatalities increased 92 percent from 2014 to 2023.
In addition, New Jersey incurs approximately $14 billion in economic harm annually due to motor vehicle crashes according to a 2019 analysis. This is equivalent to a “crash tax” of $1,577 per resident each year, the fourth highest in the nation and well above the national average of $1,035. When updated for inflation alone, in 2025, costs would equate to approximately $17.7 billion.6 Traffic safety is a serious and costly issue in urgent need of proven solutions.
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