Focus on Burlington City, NJ Dangerous Road after Spate of Accidents
Route 130 in Burlington City, New Jersey is receiving unwelcome publicity for the number of accidents that routinely occur here. Just this week, a 4-year-old boy was killed when a pick up truck slammed into him as he crossed the street with his uncle. The boy died at the scene of the accident.
Pedestrian accidents have become far too frequent on this stretch that has the distinction of being voted the most dangerous road in New Jersey by a transportation advocacy group. In all, between 2005 and 2007, a total of nine pedestrians were killed on the road. Now, city authorities are making efforts to stem these growing numbers of accidents. Since the beginning of September, traffic enforcement officers have stepped up efforts on Route 130, and over 200 vehicles have been stopped. 199 traffic summons have been issued, including several for running red lights, using a cell phone while driving, speeding, and the rest for seat belt, and stop sign violations.
Locals in the neighborhood and pedestrians who use the road often say that speeding is a very real problem with vehicles on Route 130. The road has a posted 40 mph speed zone, but it's common to see that speed limit being broken brazenly by motorists. This proves a particular problem when classes end for the day because school students use the route to get home. Police have also imposed a reduced speed limit during those times that the route is used by school children.
Burlington City Mayor James Fazzone is looking at other ways to reduce the high accident rate on the much used stretch of road. On the anvil are plans for a pedestrian overpass that should be able to lessen the congestion on the road. Other ideas being proposed include the installation of blinking lights just before the intersection to act as a warning to motorists about the school crossing.
Whatever the City plans to do, they need to do it fast. Too many innocent people are getting killed because of brazen violations on the street.
Dangerous Roads
When there are defects on a roadway because of the design of the road, improper maintenance, inadequate lighting or signage, then the chances of an accident increase significantly. Construction defects in a road can cause motorists to lose control of their vehicle, while the lack of signage can lead to confusion, causing auto accidents. It’s the duty of federal, state and county authorities to make sure that the roadways are safely designed, properly constructed, and maintained regularly. If an accident occurs because of the failure of these agencies to provide safe conditions for you to drive in, then they can be held liable in a court of law for any injuries that may occur because of these accidents.
Proving that defects in road design or maintenance were the cause of your accident and injuries requires the expertise of an experienced New Jersey accident lawyer. More than one agency may have been responsible for the negligence, and may be held accountable for damages. Contact an experienced New Jersey car accident lawyer for an evaluation of your case.
