Jackson Township, NJ – If you ever drove in Jackson, you are familiar with the problem, and now residents are taking to social media after saying township police and lawmakers are turning a blind eye.
Civilian vehicles with emergency lights speeding in and out of traffic, breaking traffic laws, and causing dangerous conditions on the township’s roadways. Living in Jackson has become similar to the hit arcade video game “Crazy Taxi” at certain times of the day, one resident told Shore News Network.
Frustration over emergency response vehicles operated by Hatzolah volunteers spilled onto social media this week as dozens of Jackson Township residents shared stories of near misses, traffic violations they say they have witnessed, and concerns about public safety.
The discussion began after Jackson resident Darrell Carr posted about an incident he said he witnessed at the intersection of Brewers Bridge Road and County Line Road.
At this time, Shore News Network could not confirm which Hatzolah company operated the vehicles as they were not marked, or whether they were Shomrim operated vehicles.
“Hatzolah is out of control in Jackson,” Carr wrote. “I just saw them come flying down Brewers Bridge and County Line with a guy up in the lift fixing the light and their EMT blew right past the guy at about 50 miles an hour in a construction site.”
Carr said those volunteer emergency responders were operating privately owned vehicles are creating dangerous situations and called for a state investigation.
“I think it is time to call Trenton to do an investigation,” he wrote.
Residents describe similar encounters
Carr’s post generated dozens of comments from residents who claimed they have experienced similar situations involving privately owned response vehicles equipped with emergency warning lights.
Carlos Sousa wrote that he frequently observes emergency vehicles failing to stop at stop signs.
“Every day I see them running stop signs like they’re not even there. Yet I NEVER see them pulled over by police,” Sousa commented.
Andrew Kastel said he believes volunteer response vehicles operate differently than municipal emergency vehicles.
“Even official fire trucks, cops and ambulances yield at red lights and yellow lights,” Kastel wrote. “These guys just fly right through them.”
Another resident, Tara Kelly-Ernst, described what she said was a near collision.
“I was almost T-Boned on S. Hope Chapel Road going through the Bethel Church Road light,” she wrote. “They were barreling down the road.”
Keith Dymnioski questioned the frequent use of emergency sirens during overnight hours.
“And why do we need to blare our sirens at 1:00 a.m. down County Line Road when there’s zero traffic,” he wrote.
Shore News Network has frequently documented and reported on Hatzolah privately owned vehicles speeding down residential streets, at speeds over 45 miles per hour in 25 mph zones, only to arrive and have multiple other privately owned ’emergency’ vehicles at the destination.
Questions raised about emergency lights
Several commenters questioned whether privately owned emergency response vehicles are operating within New Jersey law regarding emergency lighting and sirens.
Carr alleged some vehicles are using warning equipment without proper authorization.
“There [are] personal vehicle[s] with the illegal sirens and lights that they don’t have permit[s] for,” he wrote.
Those allegations were echoed by other commenters, although no evidence was presented in the discussion to verify those claims.
Under New Jersey law, volunteer first responders may be authorized to operate privately owned vehicles equipped with certain emergency warning lights under specific circumstances. The laws governing emergency lighting, sirens and exemptions from traffic regulations vary depending on the responder’s certification, agency affiliation and the equipment installed on the vehicle.
Emergency warning lights generally do not give drivers unlimited authority to disregard traffic laws, and operators are expected to exercise due regard for the safety of others while responding to emergencies.
None of the Hatzolah organizations operating in Jackson responded to the allegations.
Calls for enforcement and accountability
Many commenters said they believe traffic laws should be enforced consistently regardless of who is operating the vehicle.
Deborah Baker questioned why volunteer responders are allegedly not cited for traffic violations.
“Why aren’t they ticketed?” she wrote.
Miriam Fostek suggested organizing a petition to address the issue, while several others encouraged residents to document incidents through photos or video.
“We need more photo/video evidence,” commenter Gi Phil wrote.
Others directed questions toward township officials, asking what actions, if any, are being taken regarding complaints involving emergency response vehicles.
Concerns remain unverified
While the social media discussion reflects growing public concern, the comments consist of personal accounts and allegations that have not been independently verified.
No police reports or official investigations were cited in the discussion, and it is unclear whether any of the incidents described have resulted in citations, crashes or formal complaints. Jackson Township’s council and mayor have not responded to the allegations.
Hatzolah is a volunteer emergency medical service that provides rapid response to medical emergencies in several New Jersey communities, including portions of Ocean County. Volunteers often respond directly from their homes or workplaces in privately owned vehicles before ambulances arrive on scene.
The organization operates separately from municipal police departments, although its members are supposed to coordinate with local emergency responders during medical emergencies.
As of Monday afternoon, neither Jackson Township officials nor Hatzolah had publicly responded to the social media discussion.
Residents with concerns about the operation of emergency vehicles are encouraged to report specific incidents to law enforcement through the appropriate channels so they can be reviewed and investigated if warranted.
Key Points
- Jackson residents are voicing concerns on social media about the operation of privately owned Hatzolah emergency response vehicles.
- Commenters described alleged speeding, failure to stop at intersections and other traffic safety concerns, though those accounts have not been independently verified.
- No official response or investigation had been announced as of Monday, and no evidence was presented confirming the allegations discussed online.
