county - New Jersey Accident and Injury Law Blog

Fewer New Jersey Accident Rates? Thank Gas Prices

rayaanmd@gmail.com (Scott Grossman) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:53:54 -0500

Across the state, there has been a welcome side effect of high gas prices – fewer cars on the roads, and consequently fewer accident fatalities on New Jersey streets. In fact, as a report by State Police confirms, NJ is well on its way to seeing the steepest drop in auto accident fatalities in two decades.

The drop in New Jersey accident deaths has been far-reaching, covering nearly all counties. Monmouth County, which had 55 accident fatalities last year, has seen that number drop to 42 so far this year. Middlesex County has had 44 people killed in accidents this year, compared to 54 last year. But it's in Ocean County that the drop has been the most dramatic. The County had a total of 35 accident deaths this year, compared to 74 in 2007. Overall, there were 547 traffic accident deaths in the state, as of December 5^th this year, a fall of 19 percent from 2007.

]]>There's no doubt that the decline in the number of miles traveled in New Jersey over the spring and summer, have contributed to this decline in accidents, as well as deaths. According to statistics, motorists drove around 1.18 billion fewer miles this year, compared to the same period in 2007. As the economy has slowed down, and gas prices have continued to play party pooper with traveling plans, there have been fewer vehicles jostling for space on our streets, and fewer accidents being reported. These findings are not exclusive to New Jersey; across the country, people are putting travel plans on hold, and cutting down on miles driven in an effort to save on gas, and the effects are showing loud and clear in the form of less congested streets.

There is also a lot to be said for New Jersey's enforcement of traffic safety and awareness programs that have also contributed to the reduction in accident rates. The State Police in conjunction with the Division of Highway Traffic Safety has worked to crack down on aggressive driving and violations in accident-prone areas. The State police in particular, have enforced a targeted action program in collaboration with Rutgers University that allows officers to analyze accident data, and work with university engineers to devise methods that work to curb crash rates on high-risk roads. A section of the Garden State Parkway, that was prone to multiple accidents earlier, has seen its speed limit reduced, resulting in a fall in accident rates. However, even with the statewide drop – which is largely gas price-related – police officers say they are concerned about keeping crash rates low, especially as the busy holiday season approaches.

As a Monmouth County accident lawyer, I am only too painfully aware that even with the most well intentioned safety programs, there will always be a few motorists who slip through the cracks, causing serious accidents that result in severe injuries and deaths.

Dog Bite Safety Information

scott@grossmanjustice.com (Scott Grossman) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:05:43 -0500

A dog attack can not only be physically painful but also emotionally scarring. According to a Rush PR News article there are several ways to prevent a dog attack and how to handle your self if involved in one. “Avoid making eye contact with the dog. Dogs perceive eye contact as a challenge and a threat. Look slightly down or aside of the dog, but keep him in your vision. Avoid smiling at the dog. You may be putting on a friendly face, but an aggressive dog sees you baring your teeth for a fight. Look for warning signs. Most dogs are not aggressive but rather just curious or defending what they perceive as their territory. It is important to be able to tell if a dog is just playing or is being truly aggressive. If the dog approaches you with its head held high or low, it is probably not going to attack. A dog whose head is level means business.” There are many more tips on how to prevent a dog attack and what to do after involved in one in the article.

As a dog bite attorney lawyer covering Freehold, Manalapan, Marlboro, Howell, Jackson, Paterson and all of central and northern New Jersey and know how physically painful and emotionally traumatizing a dog bite can be. The article cited above provides a lot of good information on how to handle dog bite attacks and how to care for the injury afterwards. Some important statistics cited are “In the US alone, nearly 5 million people are attacked by dogs per year, and 1,000 people go to emergency rooms per day as a result of a dog attack; many of them are children, and about half of them have been bitten in the face.” Dog attacks are a serious problem throughout the country and New Jersey is no different. I suggest reading the article several times so you can be well informed on what to do if a situation arises. I hope this information can be useful to your family and friends in helping to prevent dog bite attacks.

Alcohol Related New Jersey Car Accident Leaves Grocery Shoppers Injured

scott@grossmanjustice.com (Scott Grossman) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:06:24 -0500

We all know that drinking and driving often results in death, serious injury or the destruction of life. A recent local news story reported an accident in South Jersey recently sent several innocent grocery shoppers to the hospital. A car spun out of control and slammed into 3 people - two of them were in wheelchairs. The police are saying the driver was intoxicated when she crashed into pedestrians on a Shoprite sidewalk in front of the store.

As a Monmouth County and New Jersey car accident attorney I have represented hundreds of victims that suffered critical injuries because of alcohol related car accidents. This news story above highlights a all too common scenario whereby alcohol appears to have impaired this driver’s sense of judgment. The alleged intoxicated driver may have destroyed the lives of these innocent grocery shoppers who never would have imagined that they would fall victim to a drunk driver while going through their normal every day routine of pushing their grocery carts at their local supermarket. Drinking and driving frequently leads to victim's extreme suffering. I have witnessed first hand clients that have suffered at the hands of drunk drivers’ : traumatic brain injury, loss of limbs, spinal cord injuries including paralysis fractures, herniated disc injuries leading to spinal fusion or inter-body fusion surgery and a myriad of other life altering injuries and even death. So as a seasoned New Jersey and Monmouth County accident attorney lawyer I can attest unequivocally that alcohol mixed with driving of motor vehicles, motorcycles or trucks many times equates with the total destruction of innocent life and also destroys both individuals and their families. We can significantly reduce the number of serious injuries and fatalities in New Jersey by never ever driving while intoxicated or in any way impaired.

New Jersey Motorcycle Accident Study Program Commissioned to Decrease Crashes

scott@grossmanjustice.com (Scott Grossman) — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:08:33 -0500

My experience as a motorcycle accident attorney representing many bikers injured throughout central and northern new jersey is that most often these victims suffer extensive fractures, scrapes, burns or traumatic brain injuries as the result of the failure of drivers of a car or automobile to see the motorcycle until it is far too late. Those who ride on our over crowded highways and roads also experience the decay in the infrastructure or the toll that the roads and highways take due to the winter weather and constant pounding of tractor trailer trucks, cars and buses. Reducing the incidences of motorcycle crashes in the nation’s most densely populated state is a noble and vital goal.

According to the Federal Highway Authority about 2,500 New Jersey motorcyclists are involved in crashes each year. In 2006, in NJ there were 89 deaths which have more than doubled the 40 motorcycle deaths in 1991. As reported in a recent Glouster County Times article, Rowan University partnered with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and Virginia Tech to promulgate a study gathering data about motorcyclist habits that may help to reduce the incidence of motorcycle related fatalities and injuries. Dr. Yusuf Mehta, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rowan said”Motorcyclists are vulnerable highway users, and we have been watching the number of motorcycle fatalities in our state increase. The goal is to understand the root cause of increasing motorcycle fatalities." Dr. Mehta said his students will look at police reports of motorcycle crashes and investigate several factors such as pavement conditions, street lighting, and visibility. The study will continue through June 2009 and is funded through a $199,000 grant from the State Department of Transportation.

]]>In addition, surveys will be sent to motorcycle dealerships, ride coaches, and riders asking if dealers encourage riders to take safety courses and wear protective gear. Furthermore, a survey sent to riding coaches asks whether they agree with road and written tests, and riders will receive a survey asking what they think they could do to improve safety. Some MVC statistics gathered from the same Gloucester County Times article state “more than half the motorcycle crashes involving other vehicles occur at intersections. More than two-thirds occur when the vehicle's driver does not see the motorcycle. In motorcycle crashes that don't involve another vehicle, more than two-thirds result from excessive speed and more than 40 percent of crash fatalities occur during turns and corners.” Cathleen Lewis, a spokeswoman from MVC said “Our goal really is just to use the information that's found to get a better understanding of the riding community. Rider education is very important not just for new riders, but riders who are returning to their bikes. Most riders don’t take courses until they have been injured so let’s stop that trend and educate ourselves before any another serious injury or fatality happens.