NEW JERSEY — Law enforcement agencies across New Jersey will conduct a high-visibility traffic enforcement initiative Saturday focused on pedestrian safety and unsafe driving, according to the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.
The Aug. 15 Goal Zero mid-summer saturation enforcement initiative will take place throughout the day and evening and is dedicated to the memory of Patti Smith Barrett, a 54-year-old Chatham resident who died after being struck by a vehicle earlier this year.
The initiative will focus on violations that endanger pedestrians and other roadway users, including distracted, inattentive and aggressive driving and excessive window tinting, according to the association.
The association said Saturdays are statistically among the deadliest days for pedestrian crashes and that the enforcement initiative is being held during a period of high summer weekend traffic and community activity.
Barrett was walking along Fairmount Avenue in Chatham Borough shortly after noon Jan. 2 when she was struck by a Ford F-150 in an area without sidewalks, according to the association. She suffered critical injuries and died Jan. 7 at Morristown Medical Center.
The driver, Matthew Vining of Chatham Township, pleaded guilty to third-degree vehicular homicide and failure to maintain a lane. He was sentenced to 364 days in county jail, three years of probation, 80 hours of community service and a six-month driver’s license suspension.
Window tinting on the windshield and the front and rear passenger-side windows was identified as a contributing factor, according to the association.
Barrett was a married mother of four, former broadcast journalist and community volunteer. Following her death, her donated organs provided life-saving assistance to two people, according to the association.
“Patti Smith Barrett’s death is a tragic reminder of why Goal Zero matters. When a preventable crash takes a mother, a neighbor, and a valued member of the community, the loss is felt far beyond one town. This mid-summer saturation detail honors her memory by putting officers on the road to protect pedestrians and hold drivers accountable for unsafe behavior,” said Collingswood Police Chief Kevin J. Carey, NJSACOP president.
The enforcement effort is part of the broader Goal Zero movement, which seeks to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries through enforcement and education.
“Goal: Zero is ultimately about preventing another family and another community from experiencing a loss like this. Patti’s death affected all of Chatham. By dedicating this detail to her memory, we hope motorists will understand that distracted, inattentive, aggressive, and unsafe driving are not abstract traffic violations—they can have irreversible consequences,” said Chatham Borough Police Chief Brian K. Gibbons.
Participating agencies will conduct enforcement operations throughout Saturday, with officers focusing on driving behaviors and vehicle violations that could put pedestrians and other road users at risk.
The association is urging motorists to remain alert, avoid distractions, reduce their speed, yield to pedestrians and make sure their vehicles comply with New Jersey’s window-tint regulations.
“On August 15, law enforcement will be visible and focused on the behaviors that put lives at risk. Goal Zero is not just a slogan—it is a commitment to making sure no other family suffers a loss like the one the Barrett family and the Chatham community have endured,” Chief Carey said.
