Forget Texts, Distractions, Focus on Driving

COURT HOUSE – It takes only a couple of seconds to look at that incoming text, but at 50 miles per hour on a road like Route 47 a car will cover 146 feet of pavement in a couple of seconds.
Drunk driving, distracted driving and speeding all take their tolls on the county’s roads and the Middle Township Police are trying to draw attention to the dangers as part of the township’s participation in Put the Brakes on Fatalities, a national event Oct. 10 dedicated to highlighting highway safety and reducing road fatalities.
Michelle Natale, whose son Jeffrey was killed in 2014 after being hit by an allegedly drunk driver, brought back the pain once again by joining Middle Township Police Capt. John Edwards to discuss her family’s tragedy. “I hope to make Jeff proud,” she said.
Jeffrey Natale died when his vehicle was struck by that of Stephen Carsten on Route 47 less than a mile from his home. Carsten, a Millville resident who also died in the crash, had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit. Jeffrey Natale was 19 years old.
A second’s distraction can mean a car drifts over the center lane. Looking at that “so important text” from a friend about plans for tonight can mean covering a couple hundred feet of road without attention. Speeding can result in a loss of control or reduce reaction time when confronted with the unexpected.
That alcohol buzz that anyone is sure will not impact their driving can have fatal consequences.
Families like that of Michelle Natale know those consequences only too well. Township police know them too.
In 2014, the crash that killed Jeff Natale was one of five fatal accidents in the township which took six lives. Four of those accidents occurred on Route 47, one of the county’s deadliest roads. Statewide there were 556 fatal accidents in 2014.
The campaign that begins Oct. 10 will highlight all of the actions that can heighten the chances of a fatal accident. A major emphasis this year will be on distracted driving.
The township has already initiated a campaign against texting and driving with the slogan “LOL+OMG=RIP.”
Edwards said distracted driving can be as deadly as impaired driving and each year accounts for an increased percentage of accidents.
Edwards is particularly worried about the “twenty-something” crowd and their attachment to cell phones. “They know the dangers” of texting and driving “but they still do it.”
“They think it will not happen to them,” said Natale.
Jeff Natale’s accident should never have happened, but it did. That’s the real message from Middle Township Police. Giving one’s full and unimpaired attention to driving will save lives, perhaps your own.
Police will be stepping up enforcement as part of the national effort to reduce fatalities, but Edwards admits “Enforcement alone isn’t going to break the culture’s cling to that phone.”
Most drivers understand the statistics related to distracted driving, but they engage in the behavior anyway. Continued education is a key to success.
Natale hopes sharing the message of her family’s loss will keep “other people from making the same mistakes that man made.”
Drunk driving is still a major killer on our nation’s roads and years of educational efforts have given the behavior the social stigma it deserves. 
Cell phone use while driving is still looked upon with greater tolerance, especially among younger drivers, yet it can be equally as deadly and its wide-spread use puts significantly more drivers and pedestrians at risk.
The Legislature has tried to address the problem of distracted driving with stiffer penalties. Recent actions have increased the fine for a first offense from $200 to $400. A second offense can bring double the fine.
Natale hopes that sharing her story of loss will help others make the right choices. Edwards hopes that education can accomplish what just enforcement cannot.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.