CONCORD, NH – On March 26th, Governor Kelly Ayotte announced the formation of a new Highway Safety Task Force in response to a sharp rise in roadway fatalities and accidents across New Hampshire.  

“It’s critical that we ensure drivers are safe on our highways and stop these accidents before they happen. Every fatal crash is more than just a statistic—it’s a life lost, a family shattered, and a community forever changed,” said Governor Ayotte. “As a mom, this is especially important to me, which is why I am proud to announce on March 26th, a new Highway Safety Task Force. I look forward to reviewing the Task Force’s recommendations to address issues like speeding, distracted driving, and wrong-way driving incidents to make our roads safer for Granite Staters.”

In 2024 alone, 135 lives were lost in motor vehicle accidents—many involving alcohol or drugs—a figure that makes clear the scale of New Hampshire’s highway safety crisis. The state also faces a growing trend of accidents involving wrong-way drivers and incidents of these drivers being stopped by law enforcement before they can cause a deadly accident.  

The Governor’s Highway Safety Task Force will be led by Department of Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn and Attorney General John Formella, in coordination with the Office of the Governor and Executive Councilor John Stephen. The Task Force is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of accident data, identifying patterns and risk factors, evaluating current laws and enforcement practices, and developing a set of actionable recommendations to improve highway safety. The Task Force will also collaborate with local officials, law enforcement, traffic engineers, and community advocates to ensure a broad range of perspectives are represented in its findings.  

Highway Safety Task Force Members:

Attorney General John Formella, Department of Justice

Executive Councilor John Stephen

Commissioner Robert Quinn, Department of Safety

Assistant Commissioner Eddie Edwards, Department of Safety

Colonel Mark Hall, New Hampshire State Police

Commissioner William Cass, Department of Transportation

Director John Marasco, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Safety

Senator Regina Birdsell

Senator Howard Pearl

Senator Mark McConkey

Senator Donovan Fenton

Senator Tim McGough

Senator Bill Gannon

Representative Jennifer Rhodes

Representative Ross Berry

Representative Ted Gorski

Representative Terry Roy

Representative Thomas Walsh

Representative Nancy Murphy

Sheriff William Wright, Belknap County, President of Sheriff’s Association

John Coughlin, Hillsborough County Attorney

Kimberly Tessari, Deputy Attorney, Carroll County

Lt. Chris Storm, New Hampshire State Police

Stephen Pecora, Special Assistant to the Governor, Office of the Governor

Alexandria Morrell, Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor and Attorney General’s Representative, Department of Justice

Ryan McFarland, Bureau of Hearings Chief, Department of Safety

Tim Crowley, President, New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police

Mike Geha, President, New Hampshire Police Association

Rod Forey, Retired New Hampshire State Police

Dan Goodman, AAA Northern New England

Bob Kelley, Amethyst Foundation

Beth Shaw, Parent Road Safety Advocate

David Croke, Parent Road Safety Advocate

Jacob Evangelista, Youth Representative