New Jersey and Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers: Car Accident Fatalities in NJ Decrease but Distracted Driving Remains a Concern

Distracted driving is the number one cause of fatal car accidents in New Jersey.  While the overall number of car accident fatalities in New Jersey has been steadily decreasing since 2011, driver inattention has remained the leading cause of car accident deaths.

According to an annual analysis by the New Jersey State Police, the number of people killed in car accidents in New Jersey dropped from 627 in 2011 to 590 in 2012.  The decline in car crash deaths continued in 2013 with 542 people killed in car accidents.  Despite a spike in the number of fatalities in 2011, car accident deaths have overall been decreasing over the past 20 years.  A spokesman for the Division of Highway Traffic Safety cites safer cars and an increase in seatbelt usage as reasons for the decline in fatalities.

Although there has been an improvement in the number of yearly car accident deaths, distracted driving in New Jersey is still a major problem on the roads.  More people lose their lives in car accidents caused by distracted driving than in accidents caused by any other factor, including drunk driving and speeding.

Combatting distracted driving through education and enforcement will be a top priority for safety officials over the next ten years.  New Jersey received federal funding for distracted driver enforcement programs for the first time last year. As a result, officials have already seen an improvement in driver attention.

With effective enforcement programs and increased awareness, the goal is fewer distracted driving fatalities in the future.  Drivers who are not paying attention, texting, talking on the phone, or engaged in any activity that diverts their focus from driving are putting the lives of passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians at risk.  If you have lost a family member or loved one as a result of another driver’s inattention, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit for wrongful death against the negligent driver.

Cherry Hill Car Accident Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Represent Victims of Distracted Driving Car Accidents

The dedicated and experienced Cherry Hill personal injury lawyers at DiTomaso Law have successfully represented numerous clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against distracted drivers. Contact us online or call 856-414-0010 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation with one of our highly regarded South Jersey car accident lawyers.