Circumstances can affect the number of auto accidents that happen in New Jersey and across the United States. Given the current situation with people forced to work from home, schools being closed and other drastic changes, there were fewer auto accidents with injuries and fatalities in the state. Still, as the landscape incrementally returns to some semblance of normalcy, there has been a statistical increase in fatal auto accidents. This should be considered when heading out on the road.
Accidents in New Jersey begin to spike with reopening
According to the numbers, New Jersey road fatalities in May and June of 2020 were generally in line with the statistics for a normal year. This occurred as restrictions were loosened. The problem, according to safety advocates, is that there has been less traffic on the road leading to the question as to why there has been a consistent rate of crashes as there were in the past. There were 96 deaths in auto accidents in those two months. In 2019, there were 89. From 2015 to 2019, the state averaged 99.
Researchers believe that drivers are feeling unrestrained, so they are taking more risks. This includes driving without a seatbelt, speeding, distracted driving and other potentially dangerous acts they might not otherwise do. The spike in accidents to normal levels came about after April had the fewest number of road deaths in more than 50 years. There were 29 deaths in April 2020 – this was a 28% reduction from the average in the past few years. In May, there were 48 compared to 44 in 2019. The summer is also impacting the number of vehicles on the road as people are driving for vacations on the Jersey Shore and other locations in the state.
Understanding the necessary steps to be compensated after auto accidents
Anyone on the New Jersey roadways should be aware of the possible dangers they face. That includes drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. A crash can result in injuries that require extensive medical care with the accompanying life-changing expenses. A person’s professional life can be severely impacted with the inability to do the same job or being unable to work at all. Personally, there will be multiple challenges. When there is a fatality, the family left behind must consider how to move forward. An auto accident should be fully investigated to determine its cause and take the required steps to file a legal claim. After car accidents, a firm with experience in assessing the case, gathering evidence and moving forward with a lawsuit may be able to help.