Goal: Zero Traffic Enforcement Aims To Get Ocean County Holiday Shoppers Home Safely

Law enforcement in Ocean County will be conducting its monthly Goal Zero campaign on Tuesday as authorities work to address the spike in fatal crashes in the county and around New Jersey, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

The high-visibility enforcement detail will be from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday throughout the county, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Fatal crashes have surged across New Jersey in the years since the coronavirus pandemic. As of Dec. 22, there have been 556 traffic deaths in New Jersey, with 61 in Ocean County. While the statewide number is a down from the 2024 total of 684 deaths, Ocean County's share of those deaths is up 32.6 percent from the 2024 total of 46.

It's also a 17.3 percent increase from Ocean County's previous high, when 52 people died from traffic crashes in 2022, according to New Jersey State Police statistics. There were 689 deaths statewide in 2022. The highest total statewide in the last 10 years was 697 in 2021. Ocean County had 44 deaths that year.

In 2019, there were 558 traffic deaths across the state, with 39 in Ocean County, according to state police records.

"The Goal: Zero traffic enforcement detail is about one thing: making sure everyone gets home safely this holiday season," Billhimer said. "Increased patrols and strict enforcement are meant to deter dangerous behavior and prevent tragedies before they happen. One poor decision can adversely impact lives forever."

Holmdel Township Patrolman Matt Menosky was the catalyst behind the 2024 Goal: Zero campaign, which brought together 36 towns to target dangerous driving behaviors. The bright green color of the Goal: Zero logo represents high visibility and is the color for pedestrian and school safety. The black bar is a mourning band for all lives lost in traffic crashes.