In Spite of Impressive Accomplishments, Much Remains to be Done in Traffic Safety
Last year, the number of fatalities in traffic accidents in New Jersey dropped to record lows, mirroring a nationwide trend in which fatality rates sank to the lowest level in decades. Much of this has to do with an increased focus on the usual suspects like drunk driving. Automakers have also equipped cars with safety features that not just lower the risks of accidents, but also minimize the severity of injuries sustained in these crashes.
However, resting on those accomplishments might be premature, as this NPR report shows. Americans still continue to face auto safety challenges. It seems like with every challenge that we make progress toward eliminating, we are faced with newer problems. Drunk driving for instance, still accounts for about 30 percent of all fatalities, but death rates in these crashes have been on the decline over the past couple of years. However, cell phone use behind the wheel has presented a new safety challenge that transportation officials and law enforcement are struggling with.
As a New Jersey personal injury lawyer, I am very concerned about pedestrian safety on our roads. This year, we have had a spike in pedestrian accident deaths caused by a combination of factors, including motorist negligence, poor road layouts, and bad traffic planning. Another issue of concern is the state of New Jersey’s roads which continue to be a national joke. A recent report on American roads places New Jersey’s streets at Number 50. In a state with a high density of population, we can’t afford to have roads and traffic designs that actually contribute to accidents.
Truck safety continues to be another issue. The trucking industry is lobbying for increasing weight limits on tractor trailer rigs. That means New Jersey motorists will be sharing poor roads with larger, heavier trucks that are possibly even more difficult to navigate. Truck accident fatality rates nationwide have been somewhat stable at around 4000 or so fatalities every year, but that could change if New Jersey’s already congested highways begin to see larger, heavier trucks.
