Sharing the Shore

Written by Laura Cerutti

People are not spending their summer sitting in shore traffic on the Garden State Parkway for nothing. With the amount of people flooding to shore towns on the weekends, it’s obvious that the Jersey Shore has a strong fan base. And after being stuck in shore traffic, what better way to enjoy the shore than on a bike ride or a walk?

Bicycles parked at the beach

Walking and biking are two favorite shore pastimes. The level ground makes a bike trip or long stroll easy to manage and the coastal views of the beach and bay are a novelty most people only get to enjoy a few times a year. For drivers, however, navigating the shore does not necessarily get easier after enduring a bumpy ride on the Garden State Parkway. Once you have finally reached your destination, it is imperative to remain vigilant when sharing the roads with an influx of bicyclists and walkers.

Biking and walking is a major component of the Jersey Shore’s culture. Most people stay within a short distance of the beach, shops, restaurants and boardwalk making it silly to use your car to get around. During my time at the beach I realized I go days without using my car. In fact, it usually stays parked in its spot from the time I get there until I reluctantly leave to head home. One reason my car stays in its place is because it’s hard to find parking after giving up a space, the other is because I find driving the local roads to be a stressful experience due to the swarms of bicyclists and pedestrians. I too find myself being more inclined to take part in the shore’s bike/walk culture more than I would at home, but no matter how I am traveling, my safety senses are heightened.

After observing the driving, walking and bicycling behaviors of those around me at the beach, I noticed these three modes of transportation do not exactly coexist peacefully. Too many times I have seen pedestrians jaywalking when a cross walk is only yards away, drivers failing to give the right-of-way to pedestrians who are actually in the crosswalks or bicyclists riding towards the beach on the wrong side of the street.

People of the shore travel in “vacation mode”. The bicyclists may only ever ride while there and never in the
off season, meaning they could be lacking regular road experience. Pedestrians can be seen heading to the beach while trying to balance several beach items like chairs, towels, and bags causing them to be less aware of their surroundings. And drivers can be distracted while searching for parking, looking for places to eat, or by being on their cell phones. When you mix these hazards and put them in a crowded shore town, unfortunate incidents are bound to happen.

Long Beach Island Shuttle Bus

To combat crashes involving pedestrians at the Jersey Shore, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) recently launched the Street Smart campaign in Long Beach Island. Between 2009 and 2012, LBI had a total of 13 pedestrian related crashes. It was found that most of these crashes were caused by either pedestrians crossing outside of marked crosswalks or drivers failing to yield.
The goal for LBI’s Street Smart movement is to encourage both motorists and pedestrians to check their “vital signs” of obeying the speed limits, stopping for pedestrians, waiting for the “walk” signal at intersections, and crossing at crosswalks.

Just like Long Beach Island, other popular shore towns experience a rise in pedestrians and bicycle related crashes, especially during the summer months. Between 2009 and 2014, municipalities like Long Branch, Belmar and Point Pleasant Beach have all had an uptick in crashes between May and September. Similar to LBI, these crashes were most likely caused by the disconnect between drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists.

All road users have the right to a safe passage and everyone needs to do their part in keeping the roadways safe, not matter how you choose to travel. In busy areas, like the Jersey Shore in the summer, knowing your part in sharing the road is key to creating a travel-friendly environment. Whether you choose to ride, walk, or driver, we have a few key tips for all road users!

Bicyclists:

• Ride Right, meaning with traffic.
• Behave as a vehicle, meaning         stop at stop signs and use turn           signals.
• Watch the door zone of         distracted drivers
• Get to know NJ’s bike laws!
• Get a bell to alert others on the         road when you are approaching.

Pedestrians:

• Stick to the sidewalks or walk to the left side of the street! (Ride         Right, Walk Left!)
• Cross at crosswalks! Jay walking could earn you a $54 ticket.
• Cross at the “walk sign.”

Drivers:

• Scan the road for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Be prepared to stop.
• Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks or you could face a $200 fine         and two points.
• Slow down! A small increase in speed can make the biggest         difference. Pedestrians and bicyclists are less protected and more         vulnerable. If a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle traveling at 20         MPH they have a 90% chance of surviving, if hit at 40 MPH         that number drops to a 10% chance of surviving.

Avoiding the Peril that Lurks in Parking Lots

Written by Judy Bortman

Next time you pull into a shopping center to do an errand, ask yourself about the most "stressful" part of your outing. Was it navigating the parking lot? Did you have a close encounter with a car or pedestrian while getting to and from the store entrance? 

Parking lot peril is a real and growing concern. And there's data to prove it. Recently Nationwide Insurance claims data revealed that 13% of automobile accidents occur in parking lots where distractions abound. A 2014 New Jersey study showed that distracted drivers caused nearly half of the 1.4 million crashes that occurred in our State during the last ten years. Tragically, 1,600 people were killed by inattentive motorists.

"I don't get no respect!"

Parking lots are a growing danger zone and yet most people ignore them. Comedian Rodney Dangerfield often said, "I don’t get no respect." Perhaps it’s time we start respecting parking lots. We know that they are busy places where the unexpected can occur. And often does. But do we pass through those shared road/walk areas with more caution? Usually not.

I began to wonder if awareness of parking lot peril was increasing and found it was popping up on radar screens nationwide. Last November, in time for holiday shopping, a safety campaign called HeadsUp in Parking Lots was launched as a collaboration between government, property owners and retailers in Montgomery County, Maryland, (near Washington, D.C.) to address a 50% increase in parking lot collisions that occurred in the last five years. A startling one-third of Montgomery County pedestrian accidents occurred in parking lots and garages resulting in 300 people being injured, 100 of them seriously. Perhaps not surprisingly, 80% were the fault of motorists.

But how can we address the problem?

A resourceful parent in Michigan created Parking Pal as an antidote to manage the stress and safety concerns she faced in parking lots during shopping trips with her three young children. Parking Pal is a colorful magnet  with a handprint showing children where to place their hand to stand safely in place while the adult is loading or unloading the vehicle or momentarily occupied otherwise. Parking Pal has earned rave reviews from parents for helping to avoid to a potentially dangerous situation. 

Another peril-reducing parking lot strategy is to park farther away from a store rather than waiting for a closer space by the entrance. You'll park more quickly, free up traffic and get a bit more exercise from walking a few more steps. Even better is finding a parking space where you can "pull through" and exit the space by driving forward. 

Parking lot peril can occur even without being on a cell phone or driving a vehicle.  Have you ever parked your car in a shopping center or at an office complex and had trouble finding it again? Suddenly you’re transformed into a distracted pedestrian who's wandering between rows of parked cars searching what seems like endlessly for your vehicle. Some easy solutions help reduce your peril.

If you have a smart phone, try taking a picture of the sign identifying the row where you've parked. A simpler option is to make a mental note of a landmark or a parking lot sign nearby before leaving your car – or better yet, write it down.

"Hey, didn't we come in over there?"

Common sense tells us that a parking lot is neither a speedway nor a sidewalk. It's a  shared area where motorists and pedestrians just need to slow down, be alert and stay off of cell phones. But do we?

It's has been said that the best defense is a strong offense. Who ever thought that would apply to parking lots?

If you think your office could benefit from a lunch and learn session on distracted driving, let us know. We're happy to come in and tailor our message to your group. Share your stories of parking lot peril below!