Resident’s petition: NJ’s ‘death trap’ highway needs more police

🚗 An online petition will be sent to officials when there are 1,000 signatures

🚗 The petition calls for more law enforcement, and public education

🚗 According to NJ State Police, the highway is adequately staffed

Hundreds of frustrated drivers feel there should be more cops on the Garden State Parkway, to help deter reckless driving.

A New Jersey man who "narrowly avoided a catastrophic accident" on the GSP is behind an online petition to improve safety on the toll road.

"The Garden State Parkway serves as a vital transportation artery, connecting numerous communities and facilitating travel for millions of people each year," writes the petition's organizer, Jim. S, of Barnegat and Matawan. "However, it has become increasingly evident that urgent action is needed to improve its safety standards. The current state of affairs puts innocent lives at risk every day."

Petition calls for greater police presence

The petition, which calls the GSP New Jersey's "real life death trap," is meant to catch the eye of Gov. Phil Murphy, the head of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

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The petition specifically calls for the implementation of three measures:

⚫ Increased presence of law enforcement on the highway

⚫ Enhanced driver education programs

⚫ Public awareness campaigns

The petition also suggests the use of advanced technology, such as drones, to catch aggressive drivers.

Jim created the petition after "another driver recklessly swerved into" his lane without signaling.

"This incident left me shaken and made me realize just how vulnerable we all are when using this highway," the petition reads.

As of Monday, the online petition had more than 900 signatures. The petition has a goal of 1,000.

The petition was launched more than a year ago. Jim says when it gets enough signatures, he'll send it off to the "proper parties."

According to New Jersey State Police, there is "adequate staffing" on the Parkway.

In a statement to New Jersey 101.5, NJSP said three road stations are augmented with targeted traffic enforcement details. Supplemental patrols hit the GSP throughout the year to target bad driving behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, and driving while intoxicated.

As of Sept. 12, the Parkway recorded 15 fatal motor vehicle crashes in 2024, according to State Police. From 2019 through 2023, State Police investigated an average of 25 fatal crashes per year.

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