Question 5: Speeding is a quality of life problem on many Verona streets. How would you appeal to your fellow Verona residents to get them to slow down?
Kevin Ryan: I have recently attended a number of meetings regarding traffic safety along the Bloomfield avenue Corridor and traffic safety in general in New jersey. At each meeting it has been stressed that speeding is a leading cause of pedestrian fatalities. Speed has a direct correlation to stopping distance. Simple law of Physics, The faster you drive the longer it takes to stop. Two components of the stopping distance are thinking distance also called reaction time and braking distance. Another factor to consider is the aging of our population in general and the inability of this group simply to be able to cross the street as quickly as they once did.
I would encourage all of our residents to view some of the videos that can be found at www.bestreetsmartnj.org. They explain in great detail how just by cutting your speed by 10 MPH can significantly decrease the stopping distance and save lives. The individual lives you put in danger by speeding just are not worth the extra destination time you will save. The police can continue to write speeding tickets and they should, but ultimately it is up to each driver to take a long hard look at the posted speed limits and obey them. I have been in conversation with the town manager and the Chief of Police to implement a Street Smart campaign in Verona. Making the public aware of the deadly consequences of speeding would be a main component.
Finally ,my fellow residents think of how you would feel and how many lives would be changed if your speeding caused serious injury or a fatality to take place.
