Fatal Accidents on the Rise in New Jersey Counties

Many years ago, the number of fatal accidents happening in New Jersey was steadily decreasing, making law enforcement agencies as well as citizens happy for good fortune. However, in the past few years, this has all changed and the numbers have been increasing. Take for instance the number of fatalities occurring in 2011 due to accidents – an astounding 638 people. Law enforcement have theorized that this is largely due to an increase in alcohol-related crashes, persistently high rates of distracted drivers, and aggressive or excessive speeding on roadways.

According to state police data from this year, more people died on state roads during the first five months of 2016 than were killed in the same period in 2015. In fact, it was a 9.6% increase from 2015. Here were some of the counties with the highest number of fatalities:

• Middlesex: 19 people killed
• Monmouth and Essex: 18 people killed
• Ocean and Gloucester: 15 people killed

In 2016, law enforcement believes that one of the reason for the increase in accidents is because more people have been put to work due to a rebound in the economy. To back this up, many people do not realize that employment has increased by 1.8% in the state in March alone! When the economy is improving, more people will utilize the roadways to go to and from work. Mix this with the fact that many people are also driving distracted, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Sgt. Jeff Flynn has reported, “It’s too early to assign any contributing factors.” While this is true, the problems must be addressed. If you have been involved in an accident that led to extensive and serious injuries, give us a call today. We will be there for you from start to finish when it comes to your case.