New Jersey is hoping a new plan will help eliminate traffic deaths to make our roads safer.

Today, the governor joined traffic safety advocates to discuss the safe system approach.

A new campaign by the state to plan, design and manage our transportation infrastructure with the goal of mitigating risk on the roads.

Ted Goldberg was at the event where he learned how this system will be implemented in New Jersey and how it will help the state get to zero traffic deaths.

What if the last thing a person saw when they were crossing the street was you texting?

New Jersey's goal of zero traffic deaths by 2040 is, to put it mildly, ambitious.

Governor Phil Murphy doesn't disagree.

Reaching it will require all of us to work together from government to law enforcement to organizers to everyday New Jerseyans, appreciating the decisions they make behind the wheel.

Now, this is a bold commitment, but bold Is that exactly what we need to be.

At today's Getting to Zero conference?

Activists and leaders spoke about the need to make New Jersey's roads safer for drivers and pedestrians alike.

Among the speakers was Sangeeta Bollani, who has become a spokesperson for safer roads after her 11 year old son Akil, was killed by a driver who went through a stop sign.

McHale never got to realize his dreams and his full potential, while Nicole lay there on the hospital bed.

I made two promises to him.

One, though we may be gone.

His name will remain forever, and he continues to touch many lives through our foundation.

And in his memory and that of so many children moms, dads, brothers, sisters and other loved ones lost too soon.

We need to enact new policies that protect pedestrians and passengers.

Last month, Governor Murphy signed a law creating the Target Zero Commission, a group of state officials aiming to help the Garden State get to that goal.

Murphy says their first meeting will be in March.

In order to do this.

We're going to focus on data driven strategies that prioritize roadway design, speed management and safety for all roadway users.

Most of our service right of way in the state is primarily dedicated to motor vehicles first, and that makes walking and biking often an afterthought.

Approaches include easy stuff like advertising campaigns, reminding people to not text and drive.

There are also more involved solutions like tweaking certain intersections.

These two in Franklin Township will be under the microscope, joining eight others statewide that could be redesigned to reduce the risk of serious injury or death.

It's human to make a mistake, but mistakes shouldn't cost us our lives.

Instead, we need to look at the entire system and make it so that crashes will not lead to serious consequences.

We believe humans will make mistakes.

We must design systems to protect human life because there's only so much force.

A human body can withstand.

Humans are vulnerable.

The human body doesn't take crash impacts well.

So designers have to minimize crash energy and account for human factors.

Lowering speed limits could also be on the table.

Hoboken speed limits have been reduced to 20 miles per hour citywide, and they haven't had a traffic death in nearly eight years.

Speed limit should balance should strike a balance between mobility and safety, reflecting the conditions of the road and its surroundings.

Research shows that lowering speed limits in urban areas, particularly near schools or pedestrian heavy zones, can significantly reduce injuries and fatalities.

According to data from state police.

691 people died from car crashes last year.

New Jersey's highest mark in 30 years.

Getting that down to zero seems like a tall task.

But these leaders say they're up for the challenge.

In New Brunswick, I'm Ted Goldberg.

NJ Spotlight News.