New Brunswick Car Accident Lawyers: Assessing NJ’s Fatal Car Accidents
In 2015, 562 people were fatally injured in car crashes in New Jersey. A NJ Advance Media reporter looked at why and how these accidents occurred. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more fatal car accidents in North Jersey than South Jersey.
Most of the fatal car accidents happened when drivers hit pedestrians. Secondly, most crashes happened when drivers collided with another vehicle. Many crashes also occurred when drivers hit inanimate objects like curbs, trees, lights, and guard rails.
Fatal accidents occurring when drivers were making left turns were six times more common than when drivers turned right, presumably because left turns put drivers in the path of oncoming traffic. Alcohol-related fatal car accidents peaked in NJ shore towns during the summer months. Moreover, drivers between the ages of 20-30 were most likely to be behind the wheel in fatal alcohol and speeding-related crashes.
Speeding Accidents in New Jersey are Still a Concern
While fatal car accidents in New Jersey had been generally decreasing from year to year, that trend is not the case for speed-related accidents. These types of crashes have increased a staggering 66 percent from 2006 and 2015. Moreover, light trucks including vans and utility trucks only represent four percent of all vehicles on New Jersey roads, yet they were involved in one-third of all fatal crashes last year.
Newark led the state in fatal pedestrian car accidents per municipality, possibly due to its heavily concentrated urban population. Essex County was the New Jersey county with the most fatal pedestrian crashes. Furthermore, new drivers and senior drivers were involved in the majority of fatal crashes last year. Drivers aged 16-22 accounted for almost one-quarter of last year’s fatal car accidents, while drivers aged 65 and older accounted for 16 percent of them.
Another surprising statistic – only three fatal car accidents involving cell phones were reported by the NHTSA last year. That low number may be due to irregular reporting procedures for distracted driving among local police departments. As municipalities consider implementing new technology that tracks cell use at the time of a car accident much like breathalyzers track alcohol use, that statistic may change.
As 2016 winds down, the NHTSA anticipates that this year will unfortunately surpass 2015’s total for fatal car accidents. However by assessing the “hows” and “whys” of serious and fatal car accidents, awareness, legislation, and technology can all be improved to keep drivers safe on New Jersey roads.
New Brunswick Car Accident Lawyers at Harold J. Gerr Advocate for Car Accident Victims
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in New Jersey, you need the guidance of a skilled New Brunswick car accident lawyer. At the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr, we have more than 40 years of combined experience representing clients who have suffered personal injuries. Let that experience work for you. Call our Highland Park offices today at 732-537-8570 or complete our online contact form to schedule a consultation.
Located in Highland Park, New Jersey we proudly serve the communities of New Brunswick, Edison, Somerset, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, South Bound Brook, Franklin Township, Woodbridge and Colonia, New Jersey.
