As the spring and summer months approach, The Bridgewater Township Police Department would like to remind our residents of “Safe Driving Habits”. Safe driving is a true state of mind. Our driving habits are a combination of instinct and what we have learned through training, observation, and behaviors which were either taught by others or self taught. The following are some helpful reminders to make each of us a “Safe Driver”.
We encourage all of our residents, especially our young drivers, to drive responsibly by obeying the speed limit. The Bridgewater Township Police Department Traffic Safety Unit has established a “Heed the Speed” campaign to remind and educate drivers of the speed limits, especially in our residential areas, for the safety of all residents.
Statistics have shown the majority of Motor Vehicle Accidents in Bridgewater were due to driver inattention. We encourage all drivers to avoid distractions while driving such as talking on the telephone, focusing on the radio, eating or drinking, and looking at other passengers in the car or the surroundings instead of the road.
A national study showed that the majority of all “teenage” drivers’ accidents occurred while driving to and from school. The cause of before school accidents was the result of drivers being tired from lack of sleep. The cause of the after school accidents was driver inattention caused by talking to their friends in their car or on their cell phone.
Stopping distance or stopping behind another vehicle.
Anytime you stop behind another vehicle at a traffic light or stop sign always leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you. When stopping behind another vehicle you should be able to see their tires. When attempting to enter an intersection or a roadway never assume that the car that was stopped in front of you has cleared the intersection. Always check before you start moving.
Drinking and Driving
We can not emphasis this message enough – never drive after consuming alcoholic beverages. There are serious consequences for driving irresponsibly, including endangering yourself or others. Please have a designated driver, or call someone for a ride, if you or someone you know has consumed alcohol.
Provisional Driver’s License
For one year after obtaining a driver’s license, new drivers cannot have more than one passenger, other than family members, in their vehicle. They also cannot drive between 12:00 PM and 5:00 AM unless for work or religious reasons. After the one year time period the driver must go to the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to have the provisional status removed from his/her license. It is not automatically removed.