Avoiding Auto Accidents on New Jersey’s Most Dangerous Roads
How dangerous is it to drive in New Jersey? Well, first, let’s pause and remember that New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the United States and occupies a key position in the Northeast Corridor, a prime commercial route serving several of the nation’s largest cities. That means traffic. Lots and lots of traffic, composed of commercial and private vehicles. More vehicles on the road means a greater chance of a collision, as well as wear-and-tear on the roads, which also contributes to car accidents. So, yes, New Jersey does have a high incidence of traffic accidents. But, when adjusted for population and miles traveled, the Garden State looks a bit more driver friendly.
Still, we can’t ignore the grim reality of fatal crashes, which the news website Patch.com explored earlier this year. Patch laid out the deadliest roads in each of the New Jersey counties, according to fatal crashes in 2023. The worst of the worst were:
- Atlantic County — State Highway 40 with seven fatal crashes
- Camden County — State Highway 30 with seven fatal crashes
- Morris County — Interstate 80 with six fatal crashes
- Middlesex County — New Jersey Turnpike with six fatal crashes
- Ocean County — Garden State Parkway with six fatal crashes
- Gloucester County — State Highway 322, State Highway 37 with five fatal crashes each
- Burlington County — New Jersey Turnpike with five fatal crashes
- Mercer County — Interstate 295 with five fatal crashes
In Bergen County, where we have our offices, the deadliest road was State Highway 17 with four fatal accidents.
Those readers looking for good news can take solace from the fact that after reaching their highest level in more than a decade, fatal crashes in New Jersey decreased by 9.4 percent in 2023 from 646 in 2022 to 585.
The financial advice website Moneygeek analyzed three years’ worth of accident data to determine where New Jersey’s most dangerous roads lay. Their verdict: the deadliest stretch of road in New Jersey is US-40 from West End Avenue to Noah’s Road, which passes through Egg Harbor Township, Pleasantville, and Atlantic City. The years studied saw 11 fatal accidents occur there.
Moneygeek also gleaned some important factoids about our state’s fatal crashes:
- More than 40 percent involved drunk driving or speeding, with drunk driving contributing to 359 deadly crashes, while speeding was a factor in 327.
- Distracted driving contributed to almost 20 percent of fatal accidents. It contributed to 313 deadly crashes between 2018 and 2022.
- October was the worst month for fatal accidents, amassing 10.4 percent of the year’s total. September and July finished next.
- Middlesex ranked first among the counties in deadly crashes with the majority occurring on I-95.
As for the deadliest stretches of road, here’s the Moneygeek top five:
- US-40 from West End Avenue to Noah’s Road running through Egg Harbor Township, Pleasantville, and Atlantic City, where 11 fatal accidents occurred.
- US-322 from Village Parkway to E. Garwood Avenue in Gloucester County, where 10 fatal crashes happened.
- I-95 from Exit 74 to the Vince Lombardi Travel Plaza, running through Ridgefield, Teaneck, Fort Lee, Englewood, Ridgefield Park, and Leonia, where 10 fatal crashes happened.
- US-1 from Garden Street to US Highway 22 through Elizabeth into Newark, where 10 fatal crashes happened.
- SR-21 from Miller Street to 4th Avenue in Newark, where nine fatal crashes occurred, taking 10 lives.
So, what exactly makes for a dangerous road? According to the traffic safety website idrivesafely.com, there are nine major factors:
- Sharp Turns — Misjudging speed on a sharp turn can lead to spinouts into adjacent lanes or oncoming traffic.
- Missing or Confusing Signs — Confused drivers are liable to make unsafe maneuvers.
- Uncleared Ice and Snow — Vehicles that lose traction are hard to control.
- Faded or Poorly Painted Lines — Drivers can’t stay in their lanes if those lanes aren’t clearly visible.
- Drop-Offs — Roads with steep drop offs make drivers nervous.
- Missing Barriers and Guardrails — This may not increase the likelihood of an accident, but it certainly exacerbates the danger when an accident occurs.
- Improperly Graded Roads — Uneven surfaces and pools of water can interfere with normal driving.
- Potholes — Sudden depressions in the road’s surface can damage a vehicle and cause an accident.
- Dense Traffic at High Speeds — A frequent hazard for NJ drivers is having to navigate close, high-speed traffic.
Of course, it’s not just the roads that might be dangerous. We must share those roads with plenty of drivers who have atrocious safety habits. Then there’s inclement weather and poor visibility, especially in the dawn and twilight hours. For all of these reasons, Garden State motorists must drive defensively, remaining mindful of the risks and how to best manage them. Please reference our NJ Car Accidents Resource page for information.
If you’ve been in an accident on any of New Jersey’s dangerous roads, the auto accident attorneys at Razi & Giampa Law are ready to help you obtain just compensation for your property damage and personal injuries.
