Traffic Safety

The Jefferson Township Police Department has maintained a full time traffic safety officer since 1988. Police Officer Charles Paskas is currently assigned to this position.

The Traffic Safety Officer responds to all fatal and serious motor vehicle accidents. He is a member of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, is certified in traffic accident reconstruction, and assists with traffic engineering. PO Paskas also supplements the Patrol Bureau with traffic enforcement details throughout the community.

Programs

The Traffic Safety Officer also coordinates many of our specialty traffic safety programs such as bicycle safety and child car seat inspections. Officer Paskas is also responsible for the speed advisory radar trailer that is placed throughout the community. The sign is placed mainly in residential areas to make motorists aware of their speed and to hopefully help curb speeding vehicles.

SLOW DOWN IN OUR TOWN

Slow Down In Our Town is a speed reduction program partnering neighborhood residents and local law enforcement, working together to coordinate placement of lawn signs in targeted neighborhoods.

The program is run by the Jefferson Township Traffic Safety Bureau and is managed and implemented by Township law enforcement officials.

Every year, we compile a schedule of “target areas” for placement of the signs. These target areas are areas where our patrol and traffic officer, with the aid of residents, have identified areas of high speeding or aggressive driving, or areas where we get multiple complaints from residents.

Once target areas are identified, the department will contact residents and ask their permission to place the Slow Down In Our Town signs on their lawns. There are 25 available signs which are placed in target locations throughout the Township for one to two weeks at a time.

The signs are not permanent. They are rotated to different areas of the town after a certain period of time, as various studies have shown that when signs are left in one place too long, motorists eventually ignore them. If you drive the same route to work every day and something changes on that route, you will be sure to notice it.

The intention of these bright yellow signs is to catch the motorist’s attention and give them pause to consider whether they are traveling too fast.

Child Safety Seats

All children, until the age of 8 years old or 80 pounds, whichever comes first, need to be in a child safety seat. Get for information on child safety seats, or see a listing of child safety seat inspection locations.

Driving While Intoxicated

Since December of 2010, there have been 78 arrests for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) in Jefferson Township. Please don’t drink and drive! Get more information on the consequences of DWI (PDF).

View 2017 Mock DWI Fatal Accident drill held in Jefferson Township on May 23, 2017

Motor Scooters/Low Speed Motorcycles

Basic auto license holders can operate a low-speed motorcycle without any endorsement or separate motorcycle license. Low-speed motorcycles are less than 50cc or have a 1.5 brake horsepower motor or less with a maximum speed no more than 35 miles per hour on a flat surface. 

Low-speed motorcycles may not be driven on any state toll road, limited-access highway, or any public road with a posted speed limit greater than 35 miles per hour. It is also prohibited to ride them on sidewalks; however, they may be operated on private property with the permission of the property owner.

Helpful Resources

For more information, or if you have any questions, regarding any of the above-listed Traffic Safety Programs, you can contact our Traffic Safety Officer, Police Officer Charles Paskas, Lt. Joseph Hale, or Capt. Robert Bush, or you may send an email to trafficsafety@jeffersonpolice.com.