The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) is 122.4 miles long. With more than 60,000 vehicles per day using it, the highway is the sixth-busiest toll road in the United States. There isn’t a day that goes by when accidents don’t happen on it. Drivers must be very careful and follow the rules of the road when they travel on the Turnpike, especially if roads are wet or icy, or there are road repairs or construction. They’ll also want to exercise special caution in heavily populated areas like Trenton, Newark, and Middlesex County. Those areas have higher rates of motor vehicle accidents, injuries and fatalities.
NJ Turnpike Truck Traffic
The New Jersey Turnpike also connects New York City to Philadelphia. It’s the major thoroughfare for large trucks that pull trailers full of goods, commodities and materials. In between those cities are large commercial distribution centers that add to the truck traffic. Truck accidents with minor property damage or injuries are rare, especially when trucks are traveling at high speeds. A tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and be over 70 feet long. They need 20 to 40 percent more pavement to come to a complete stop, even when the roadway is dry. When a tractor-trailer is out of control, it’s a gigantic street sweeper that can pulverize any passenger vehicle that it comes in contact with. That’s why the injuries suffered by victims of large truck accidents are usually severe or even fatal.
Common NJ Turnpike Crash Scenarios
Motorists who commute from home to work and back on the turnpike on a daily basis increase the risks of accidents. It’s a simple matter of congestion. Here are some of the common dangers that they face:
- Rear-end collisions. These may seem like minor accidents on crowded city streets, but they can be debilitating or even lethal at high speeds. Drivers must maintain a proper interval between themselves and the vehicle ahead of them. Nobody knows when a sudden stop might be required.
- Lane changes. Motorists must use their mirrors and eyes while remaining aware of their speed. At high speeds, loss of control is more likely to occur if there’s a collision during a lane change. A motorist needs to check his or her mirrors, look over their shoulder and use their turn signals before deciding on a lane change.
- Exit and entrance ramps. Speed might need to be decreased drastically on exit ramps in order to maintain control of a vehicle. The opposite might be in order on entrance ramps, but watch out for that vehicle ahead of you. It might be slowing down while you’re speeding up.
- Bad weather conditions. Remember that wet or icy roads increase stopping distances. You can give a brake light flash once or twice to let the driver behind you remember that too.
- Drowsy or fatigued driving. We all have long days, especially if we drive for a living. Tractor-trailer drivers are limited to 11 hours per day for several reasons. Lack of proper rest can maim or kill.
- Distracted driving. Whether it’s eating a cheeseburger, talking on a cell phone or texting while driving, only one hand is on the wheel. Driving safely requires two hands on the wheel and undivided attention.
Will I Need a Lawyer If I Was Injured In a New Jersey Turnpike Crash?
When you’ve been injured in as a result of the carelessness and negligence of somebody who was driving at a high rate of speed, you’re going to be in need of an experienced, aggressive and effective New Jersey car accident lawyer. The opposing insurance company knows that injuries are likely to be severe in a high speed accident. It also knows that it’s in for significant financial exposure. That means it will do anything that it can legally do to shift some or even all of the responsibility for your accident over onto you. Insurance companies have investigators and adjusters who they can dispatch to start investigating your claim right after an accident happens. Always remember that you’re under no legal obligation to give any of those people any kind of a statement without an attorney being present on your behalf. If you do give a statement, they’ll likely only try to use your own words against you when attempting to attack your credibility and devalue your claim. It’s far better to politely refuse to give a statement or sign anything until such time as you’ve spoken with us.
Contact The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. in NJ
The business plan of any insurance company is to cash premium checks and invest that money so that they can make even more money. If an insurance company is going to pay out on a claim, it wants to pay as little as possible or even nothing. Our objective is quite the opposite. Our goal is to maximize any proceeds that you might derive from a settlement or verdict. If you were injured in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike, you can contact us to arrange for a free consultation and case review. We’re going to listen to you closely, and we’ll answer your questions too. After that, we’ll advise you of your complete range of legal options. We represent clients in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
