COURT HOUSE –– Diane Gentzyel, Maryanne Stelacio, Joan Cohen and 15 other people had something in common this year – they died as a result of motor vehicle accidents on roads in Cape May County.
Gentzyel, 52, of Renovo, Pa., died in August along with two of her friends when their car was involved in a head on collision on Route 9 near the South Jersey Gas Company.
Stelacio, 75, of Villas, was in an accident in May on Route 9 in Upper Township and passed away four days later as a result from her injuries.
Cohen, of Voorhees, was pronounced dead at the AtlantiCare Medical Center after being airlifted from the scene of an accident on Route 47 near the Wildwood Water Works in July.
To date, 18 people have died in 15 car crashes, up from last year’s county total of 15 fatalities in 14 accidents.
All of the accidents occurred in one of the three townships in the county.
Fatalities in Dennis Township were recorded:
• March 3, 4:04 p.m. on Route 47 at southbound Milepost 17.1.
• Aug. 9, 3:08 p.m. on Fiddler Road (638) at southbound Milepost 3.3, two fatalities.
• Sept. 1, 6:13 p.m. on Clermont-South Seaville Road (608) at northbound Milepost .15.
• Nov. 6, 9:44 p.m. on Hagan Road westbound.
Fatalities in Middle Township were recorded:
• April 12, 11:47 a.m. on Route 9 at northbound Milepost 13.
• April 30, 9:57 a.m. on Route 47 at northbound Milepost 7.7.
• July 5, 6:37 p.m. on Fulling Mill Road (654) at westbound Milepost 2.3.
• July 13, 2:43 p.m. on Route 47 at southbound Milepost 5.2.
• Aug. 27, 6:27 a.m. on Route 9 at southbound, three fatalities.
Fatalities in Upper Township were recorded:
• Jan. 24, 8:28 a.m. on Garden State Parkway at northbound Milepost 21.
• Jan. 31, 9:17 a.m. on Route 49 at westbound Milepost 50.5.
• March 6, 4:32 p.m. on Garden State Parkway at southbound Milepost 20.2.
• June 30, 7:46 p.m. on Garden State Parkway at northbound Milepost 20.2.
• Aug. 13, 12:44 p.m. on Route 50 at northbound Milepost 5.5.
As of Nov. 26, 633 deaths have occurred statewide in 589 accidents this year.
According to an Oct. 12 release from the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety, an average of two lives continue to be senselessly lost every day in New Jersey as a result of fatal car crashes.
“In New Jersey, 770 lives were lost in fatal crashes in 2006, an average of two every day,” Director Pam Fischer said. “Despite our efforts to engage the public, we’re still losing lives. It’s time for all drivers to take responsibility for what is happening on our roadways. That starts with a personal assessment of your driving practices. Only by identifying and correcting unsafe driving behaviors, can we begin to change this tragic situation.”
Fischer stressed the importance of buckling up, slowing down, avoiding aggressive driving practices and distractions behind the wheel, and never drinking and driving as ways to reduce highway fatalities.
Drunk driving continues to be a serious problem in the United States. Alcohol was involved in an estimated 446,000 crashes in 2005, killing 16,885 people and injuring an estimated 254,000 others.
In New Jersey, 34 percent of motor vehicle fatalities involve alcohol and, in 2005 alone, 252 of 748 motor vehicle deaths were alcohol related.
Local law enforcement agencies have, therefore, agreed to join the state in its “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” year-end crackdown. From Dec. 7, 2007 to Jan. 2, 2008, officers will conduct increased driving enforcement and hopefully no more fatalities will be added to the above list.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
Avalon – It absolutely makes sense for means testing for Social Security. We need to trim benefits for anyone 50 or younger, and give them better savings options. Anyone 50 or older should be grandfathered….
