Article submitted by Lucy Wyndham

Being involved in a car accident is one of the most devastating experiences anyone can ever encounter. In 2016 14,241 people were injured in car accidents in Morris County according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Actively practicing high levels of road safety is imperative as is ensuring your vehicle is safe to take to the roads as well. Whether you are planning to take an extended trip or simple drive around town on a daily basis, a regular inspection of your vehicle is a must. By following six simple steps you will increase your own safety and that of other Parsippany road users significantly.

Check for fluid underneath your car

Before embarking on a journey take a few seconds to check under your car to make sure none of the vital fluids are leaking. If you happen to find a leak, try to identify it before driving the car. A leak can be completely harmless (air conditioner water) or more serious (oil, transmission fluid or brake fluid) and should never be ignored. If you can’t make a positive identification yourself, pop into one of the many gas stations or reputable auto repair shops situated in Parsippany for assistance.

As well as in your car

Sufficient brake fluid in a car is pivotal for its safe operation and should be topped-up regularly and flushed every 36,000 miles. If your car doesn’t have enough brake fluid the brakes will not operate as required and can cause a nasty accident as a result. Although most modern-day cars use power steering, many drivers do not check their power steering levels regularly. When this liquid becomes contaminated your steering wheel can become less responsive which can proof to be extremely dangerous when driving. Make it a point to have the power steering fluid replaced every 18 to 24 months.

Check the brakes

Experiencing a car accident due to brake failure, whether due to a manufacturing defect or poor maintenance is not something anyone should have to endure. It is estimated that up to 5% of car crashes in the US every year are caused by brake failures, equating to a massive 300,000 accidents per year. As already mentioned make sure you always have sufficient brake fluid in your car. Your braking system is not made to last forever and should be replaced periodically. If you notice any problems with your brakes while driving have them checked immediately because if they fail you could end up having a very serious accident.

Check your tires

Your tires are the only part of your car that are in contact with the road, which is why it is extremely important to check your tires regularly for any signs of damage. When you inspect your tires, make sure to check for uneven wear, punctures, and embedded nails. If you have a tire that appears damaged, have it seen to at one of the tire repair centres around town such as Firestone, Mavis Discount Tires and Tire Tech and Auto Repair. Don’t forget to have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles to extend their life and replaced every 50,000 miles or sooner if you notice any significant damage.

Inspect your lights and signals

It is very important to physically check all your signals and lights, noting if any are dirty, broken or cracked. Check your reverse lights, taillights, headlights, brake lights and turning signals. It is especially important to check where your headlights point as misaligned headlights can be hazardous to other road users, causing major accidents. Headlights that shine too low will limit how far you can see at night, which can prove to be very unsafe, especially in the quieter parts of Parsipanny with limited street lights. Faulty turning signals are equally dangerous – just imagine the consequences of changing lanes on the freeway without signalling your intention to do so.

Check seat belts and baby chairs

There is no denying that seat belts save lives. According to the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety, as many as 132 unrestrained drivers and passengers are killed in crashes in the state each year. Physically check your seatbelts and baby seats at regular intervals, looking for any signs of wear and tear. Get any problems seen to immediately as no driver or passenger, regardless of age, should ever be in a moving vehicle without being restrained properly.

With the freedom associated with obtaining a drivers license comes an immense amount of responsibility. By regularly following the steps above to ensure your vehicle remains roadworthy, coupled with safe driving techniques, you will be able to decrease your risk of being involved in a car accident substantially.

PARSIPPANY — Living Water Church held a “Family SummerFest” on Saturday, July 21. The event was free and is designed to bring the community together on a sunny summer day. Living Waters Church raised funds for Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire District 5.

PARSIPPANY — Missing cat! Please be on the lookout for this small, 11 year old black and white cat named Cookie.

She is missing from Hiawatha Boulevard in Lake Hiawatha. Please call us or Michelle at (862) 207-2388 with any sighting.

PARSIPPANY — Integrated Marketing Consultant, Lynda Starr, DTM, of Parsippany is the newly elected Program Quality Director for District 83 Toastmasters, serving members in metropolitan New Jersey, Rockland County, and Staten Island, New York.  Starr is a member of Dining to Speak Toastmasters.

As Program Quality Director, Starr oversees all aspects of education and training with the district. The program quality director is the second ranking member of the district executive committee and presides when the district director is not available.

“I am honored to be called upon by members of the district to help then to achieve their educational goals and to assure the quality of the Toastmasters program within the clubs,” notes Starr. “This year, we are asking all members to challenge themselves by trying something new, be it to take on a new role or to build a new speaking talent. The goal of Toastmasters is learning in moments of enjoyment to develop leadership skills.”

“Lynda Starr, DTM is a dynamic and effective leader that knows wholeheartedly what it takes to win,” notes said Manny Reyes, District Director.  “She is assertive and always operates with a sense of urgency, is always ready to help anyone who needs to put the final touch on an almost finished project. I look forward to working with her this year to promote the individual and collective achievement of members and to expand and strengthen the district.”

Lynda Starr, DTM, has been a member of Toastmasters International since October 2006. She has achieved Toastmasters International’s highest honor, Distinguished Toastmasters (DTM).   Currently, she serves as Vice-President, Education for Dining to Speak Toastmasters, Fairfield, NJ and is a member of Northern Stars Advanced in Basking Ridge, NJ. She has previously served as district public relations officer, conference chair, and newsletter editor in addition to other club officer roles. An enthusiast of the written word, she has a Master’s Degree in Communication from University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Communication and Marketing from Rutgers College, New Brunswick, NJ. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

District 83 includes 150 clubs (4,000 members), in Metropolitan New Jersey, Staten Island, and Rockland County, New York. For more information click here.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in October 1924, the organization currently has more than 270,000 members in 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Each week, Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million people of every ethnicity, education and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others. For information about local Toastmasters clubs click here.

PARSIPPANY — Meet Julie! This three-year-old Pit mix is just a little peanut at under 50 pounds!

Rescued from the Newark Shelter, it’s obvious that Julie has been through a lot in her life, but she is as sweet as pie! Julie’s favorite activities include snuggling, being held, and cuddling in bed. She won’t leave her foster dad’s side! Julie also loves to roll on her back for belly rubs.

Julie is great with other dogs and can also live with children six and up. She knows basic commands and is housebroken!
We are so excited for this little sweetheart to find her forever home. If you’re looking for a little moo like Julie, please fill out an application by clicking here.

Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Instagram by clicking here.
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PARSIPPANY — Construction crews are beginning to work on the final phases of the new main access road for Central Park of Morris County, with the possibility of a late summer opening of the new Governor Chris Christie Drive.

This new Central Park access road will run from West Hanover Avenue at a signalized intersection on the Parsippany and Morris Township border to Central Avenue, which is the main road through the county park, near the Morris Plains border.

The new signals have been installed and are ready for the new road opening.

Work crews have put in base stones for new road that could lead to paving next month and then final landscaping and other project requirements. The project was scheduled for November 2018 completion.

“We are moving quickly to complete this much needed access road to Central Park of Morris County,” said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “Once it opens, we expect that it will take much of the traffic burden off local neighborhoods that have borne the brunt of the success of the county park. We look forward to the road’s opening.”

Morris County built Central Park on the former Greystone Park State Psychiatric Hospital campus tract that was acquired from the state in 2001.

In addition, last year, in cooperation with the Christie Administration, the Morris County Park Commission worked out a long-term management agreement with the state for 106 undeveloped acres of state land on the former Greystone Hospital campus to add to the Central Park venue.

The new park has developed into a very popular and heavily used recreational venue, which has resulted in sometimes-heavy vehicular traffic through local neighborhoods.

The new access road, to be called Governor Chris Christie Drive, should divert much of the park traffic for activities, such as soccer and lacrosse matches, cross-country races, inline skating, softball and a busy dog park, from residential roads in Morris Plains.

In addition to installing new road signs directing park traffic to the new entrance, the county will seek to update GPS data providers to have motorists directed to the new entrance.

The road design, done by Boswell Engineering of South Hackensack, includes a new signaled intersection on heavily traveled West Hanover Avenue. The new signals recently were completed and will be ready for use when the road is completed.

The county in 2015 allocated funds for the design and construction of the new road and the new intersection, which will cost about $1.5 million. However, before the county could move on the locally anticipated project, the Freeholder Board had to get a 14-acre right of easement and other approvals from the state to give the county access to the state-owned property needed for the new park entrance.

That easement required approval of both the State House Commission and the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority. The approvals were received last year, with the support of the Christie Administration. The final design subsequently was completed and construction began in the late fall.

For more information on Central Park of Morris County click here.

PARSIPPANY — Sons of Italy President Lou Amato stated “I would like to thank all of the lodge members who contributed to this successful day. A very special thank you to Golf Committee Chairman, Jim Torsiello as well as Bob Wilhalme and Joe Jannarone for their significant contributions. Without them, the event could not have taken place.”

PARSIPPANY — The rain garden clean up at Parsippany Town Hall was sponsored by the
Whippany River Watershed Action Committee. Boy Scout Troop 72, along with
their leaders and parents, from Parsippany provided the crew along with a
few Morris County residents, including Ingrid Whitty our rain garden expert,
and Don Covart from Fox Hollow Landscaping who donated 2 tons of river rock.

Any Parsippany or Morris County residents who are interested in volunteering
for a future rain garden clean-up can contact Len Cipkins at 973-229-8740 or
lenprguy@optimum.net.