Drastic Spike in Car Crash Fatalities Prompts Calls to Adopt “Vision Zero” in New Jersey

New Jersey traffic fatalities were way up in 2021, increasing sizably over those in the two prior years. In fact, traffic fatalities in New Jersey are at a 14-year high. In the most densely populated state in the U.S., this spike in fatalities is not surprising but it is alarming. In fact, it has prompted many state leaders and transportation stakeholders to seek to have New Jersey adopt the “Vision Zero” plan statewide in lieu of some existing safety programs.

Vision Zero is a traffic safety initiative that aims to completely eliminate vehicle accidents that cause death and serious injury. It began decades ago in Europe and has been implemented in some parts of the U.S. The Vision Zero program differs from other safety programs in two major ways. First, it assumes that drivers will always cause accidents and so it focuses efforts on making collisions less severe. Second, it aims to make traffic safety planning a collaborative, multi-disciplinary effort, whose goal is to bring many experts and stakeholders together to solve the problem of carnage on the roadways. Vision Zero is a diverse, cooperative effort rather than top-down planning by a handful of professionals.

Some larger cities such as New York have already embraced Vision Zero and are implementing its policies. However, as Vision Zero’s goal is to completely eliminate serious traffic accidents, the process will not be easy or simple. Unless and until society makes great strides in traffic safety, it is certain that serious injuries and death will continue to occur on the roads.

Personal injury claims involving motor vehicle accidents can be challenging. Liability for a crash depends upon a number of factors. Assessing the amount of compensation for property damage, bodily injury and other losses is highly technical. In addition, dealing with insurance companies gets tricky as there are often divergent interests among the parties involved. As such, victims of car crashes need skilled motor vehicle accident lawyers to recover the appropriate compensation for their losses.

Seigel Law in Ridgewood is a premier personal injury law firm, serving clients throughout Northern New Jersey, especially in Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. If you or someone in your family was involved in a serious car accident, feel free to call us at 201-444-4000 or contact us online for an initial consultation.