Posted: December 27, 2018
Your plans for New Year’s Eve might consist of watching the ball drop in Times Square from the comfort of your own home. However, if you’re like many New Jersey residents, you probably have a fun party or event to attend that night.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are notoriously dangerous days to be out on the road. This risk is partly due to increased traffic, late-night celebrations, and drunk driving.
Many motor vehicle accidents and pedestrian accidents happen this time of year. At Shapiro & Sternlieb, LLC, we want to give you some tips to get home safely when the countdown is over.
New Year’s Eve Safety Tips
Unfortunately, you’re always at risk of being in an accident when you’re in or near a vehicle. Though you can’t control how others behave on the road, you can control your own actions.
Set yourself up for a safe commute by following these driving tips:
- Don’t drink and drive
- Don’t eat, text, apply makeup, or engage in other distracting behaviors
- Don’t get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs
- Don’t drive if you’re feeling tired
- Ride with a reliable designated driver
- Keep an eye on dangerous winter weather conditions
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Look out for pedestrians
- Maintain a safe speed and obey traffic laws
Pedestrians, follow these tips to stay safe:
Don’t jaywalk- Don’t look at your phone while crossing the street
- Look both ways before crossing the road
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Obey crosswalk signs
- Don’t assume that drivers will stop for you
These days, you have many options if you end up drinking and need to find an alternative way to get home. Consider using a popular rideshare app to get a lift or taking advantage of the public transportation system.
Even if you are responsible, negligent drivers may still behave recklessly and jeopardize your wellbeing. If you are injured in an accident, please contact our attorneys so that we can pursue the justice and compensation that you deserve.
Be Aware of These Dangerous NJ Crash Hotspots
While tragic accidents can happen anywhere, it’s helpful to know what New Jersey areas see more collisions than any others. 2017 crash statistics from the New Jersey Department of Transportation reveal the most dangerous highway sections.
The top five highway accident hotspots include:
- Route 17 from Paramus to Ridgewood: 482 crashes
- Route 22 from Jefferson to Madison Avenue in Union: 279 crashes
- Route 440 from Edison to Perth Amboy where I–287 ends: 266 crashes
- I-78 between Hillside and Newark: 242 crashes
- Route 1&9 that links the Pulaski Skyway and approach to the Lincoln Tunnel: 232 crashes
These statistics don’t cover city and residential streets. They also don’t account for collisions on the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway or the Atlantic City Expressway. Regardless of the route that you take, make sure to stay cautious to avoid a preventable accident.
Schedule a Free Motor Vehicle Accident Consultation in Englishtown
We hope that you have a safe, fun holiday. However, if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, please contact us at 732-617-8050.
At Shapiro & Sternlieb, LLC, we offer complimentary case evaluations to clients in Englishtown, Newark, Jersey City, Monmouth and Middlesex Counties, and nearby areas of New Jersey.
