The Deadliest Counties for Traffic Accidents in New Jersey
According to the Department of Health’s New Jersey State Health Assessment Data, the 2nd leading cause of death due to unintentional injury in the state is motor vehicle accidents. Approximately 270,000 motor vehicle accidents occur in New Jersey each year, and most of these cause serious injuries.
These motor vehicle-associated fatalities include motor vehicle drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and passengers hit by motor vehicles on the road or in other areas like driveways and parking lots.
New Jersey State Police (NJSP) statistics also show an increase of 5.2% in traffic deaths from 2019 to 2020. In 2020, the state saw 550 fatal traffic crashes that resulted in 587 deaths, an increase of 29 fatalities compared to 2019. In 2019, 524 fatal traffic crashes resulted in 558 deaths.
Victim classification statistics include the following:
- 304 driver deaths in 2020 vs. 289 in 2019
- 179 pedestrian deaths in 2020 vs. 176 in 2019
- 86 passenger deaths in 2020 vs. 81 in 2019
- 18 bicyclist deaths in 2020 vs. 12 in 2019
Which New Jersey Counties Were The Deadliest?
These ten counties saw the highest number of traffic fatalities in 2020:
- Middlesex: 61 crashes and 67 deaths of 27 drivers, 12 passengers, five bicyclists, and 23 pedestrians
- Essex: 39 crashes and 45 deaths of 16 drivers, 12 passengers, three bicyclists, and 14 pedestrians
- Bergen: 38 crashes and 43 deaths of 14 drivers, nine passengers, and 20 pedestrians
- Burlington: 40 crashes and 42 deaths of 26 drivers, four passengers, three bicyclists, and nine pedestrians
- Atlantic: 38 crashes and 40 deaths of 26 drivers, five passengers, and nine pedestrians
- Camden: 36 crashes and 38 deaths of 19 drivers, five passengers, one bicyclist, and 13 pedestrians
- Gloucester: 33 crashes and 35 deaths of 21 drivers, five passengers, two bicyclists, and seven pedestrians
- Monmouth: 33 crashes and 34 deaths of 23 drivers, two passengers, and nine pedestrians
- Ocean: 30 crashes and 30 deaths of 20 drivers, five passengers, one bicyclist, and four pedestrians
- Passaic: 26 crashes and 29 deaths of 17 drivers, five passengers, and seven pedestrians
What Makes These Counties The Deadliest in New Jersey?
According to the State Police’s 2020 Fatal Crash Report, driving behaviors and patterns changed significantly in 2020, despite the substantial decrease of motor vehicles on the road due to the pandemic. Drivers engaged in more dangerous behavior, including driving while drunk and/or drugged, not wearing seat belts, and driving over the speed limits.
Unfortunately, these negligent driving behaviors are a massive problem because the fatal crash reports from previous years point to speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving as the leading causes of deadly motor vehicle crashes. All these driver errors are preventable.
Reach Out to Our Skilled New Jersey Auto Accident Attorneys Now
If you were injured in an auto accident, call the Leonard Legal Group at 973-984-1414 or fill out our online form to arrange your free case review with our New Jersey auto accident attorney. Scott Leonard is a board-certified civil trial attorney with over 25 years’ experience and has handled thousands of car crash cases. Leonard Legal Group can help you get the compensation and justice you deserve. We can also help you file a wrongful death claim if your loved one was killed in a fatal car crash in New Jersey.