Summertime—The Worst Time to Be On the Roads in New Jersey

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Study Shows Accident Rate Higher in July and August than Other Months

Accident Rate Higher in July and August A quick quiz—that’s the most dangerous time of year to be out and about on the streets and highways in New Jersey? The winter, right? All that snow and ice makes motoring around pretty precarious, doesn’t it?

Actually, no. According to statistics gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the two months with the highest accident rates all year are July and August, with more than a quarter of the nation’s traffic fatalities in those two months.

But how can that be? Here are some of the reasons cited by the NHTSA:

  • The average speed is higher in the summer—Because the roads are cleaner, drivers tend to travel at higher rates of speed in the summer.
  • There are more people on the roads in the summer months—Young drivers are generally out of school and often choose driving around as a primary activity, as it doesn’t require a lot of money. In addition, most families take their vacations during the summer months, and driving has become more popular over the last 4-5 years with the cheap price of gas. If the accident remains the same, but there are more drivers on the roads, there will be more accidents.
  • There are more teenaged drivers on the roads in the summer—Teenagers are involved in about one of every three motor vehicle accidents every year. When they’re not in school, more often than not, they’re out driving somewhere.
  • Drivers are more tired in the summer—The average trip tends to be longer in the summer, leading to more driver fatigue.
  • There’s more road construction in the summer—Studies show that construction zones are frequently causes of motor vehicle accidents. Particularly in northern climates such as New Jersey, there’s far more construction in the summer than other times of the year.
  • Warmer temperatures can result in more instances of road rage or aggressive driving.

Contact Us

At the Cintron Firm, LLC, we offer more than 14 years of experience to people in New Jersey facing a broad array of legal challenges, including people who have sustained workplace injuries. Attorney Mark Cintron has worked as a prosecutor and has extensive courtroom experience, so he’s always ready, willing and able to protect your interests before a judge or jury. Contact our office online or call us at 201-791-1333 or (201) 535-0323 to set up an appointment.

Who’s Responsible for a Pedestrian Accident?

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Determining Legal Liability When a Motorist Hits a Pedestrian

pedestrian accidentThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 130,000 people will make a trip to the emergency room this year after being hit by a motor vehicle. About 16 of those pedestrian accidents will be fatal every day. When you’ve suffered injury as a pedestrian in a collision with an automobile, you may have the right to seek damages for your losses, from wages and income to loss of enjoyment of life, from pain and suffering to medical expenses. You right to recover compensation, however, is determined by who “caused” the accident.

Under New Jersey law, fault in pedestrian accidents is based on the legal concept of negligence. The long-established principle of negligence holds that every person, in all their actions, must adhere to a standard of “reasonable care.” When a person operates a motor vehicle or crosses the street, he or she must behave reasonably. Typically, that means obeying all traffic laws, signs and signals, but also paying reasonable attention to the circumstances at the time. Accordingly, motorists may be required to use a higher degree of care if weather, roadway or other conditions make it more difficult to observe pedestrians.

The determination of whether a person’s conduct met the standard of reasonable care is not set forth in New Jersey law, but is determined by the jury on a case-by-case basis. In a lawsuit, then, the jury will typically look at the behavior of all parties to determine whether it was reasonable. Fairly often, a jury will conclude that both parties “contributed” in some manner to causing the accident. When both parties have been deemed to be somewhat responsible, the jury will apply the legal principle of “comparative negligence” to determine how much compensation (if any) the injured party will receive. See our earlier blog to learn more about comparative negligence in New Jersey.

Contact Our Office

At the Cintron Firm, LLC, we offer more than 14 years of experience to people in New Jersey facing a broad array of legal challenges. Send us an e-mail or call us at 201-791-1333 or (201) 535-0323 to set up an appointment.

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