Thursday, January 15, 2026
Goal: Zero campaign to focus on MLK holiday travel
Law enforcement throughout New Jersey will be strategically deployed as part of a statewide Goal: Zero campaign on Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. with the goal of eliminating fatalities, injuries, and impaired driving ahead of the holiday weekend.
With the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, the long weekend typically sees “dense travel patterns” and increased highway congestion as people take short winter trips, according to the New Jersey Police Traffic Officers Association (NJPTOA).
Law enforcement agencies across the Garden State will increase visibility and enforcement, focusing on behaviors that contribute to series and fatal crashes, such as speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, and intersection violations.
The Goal: Zero Initiative, inspired by Holmdel Township Patrolman Matt Menosky during its inaugural 2024 campaign, brought together 36 municipalities to confront the growing threat of traffic-related deaths. The bright green Goal: Zero logo represents high visibility and pedestrian safety, while the black mourning band honors all lives lost in traffic crashes, according to the NJPTOA, a statewide association comprised of law enforcement, public sector agencies, and private sector entities with a shared goal of enhancing traffic safety in the state.
One of the aims of Goal: Zero is to build on gains made in 2025, when the state saw traffic deaths drop 15 percent. As of January 13, New Jersey has recorded 17 roadway fatalities. In 2025, 582 people were killed in crashes, down from 684 in 2024, according to preliminary data from the State Police.