New Jersey Turnpike Truck Accidents

by Ed Rebenack, Esq.

Your Guide to New Jersey Turnpike Truck Accidents

The New Jersey Turnpike is the largest toll road in New Jersey, so it’s no surprise that a lot of accidents happen here. If you end up in a collision with a truck or other large vehicle on the turnpike, the outcome can be catastrophic.

New Jersey Turnpike Truck Accidents Are Quite Common

Each day, over 63,000 vehicles travel on the turnpike. This massive road is over 115 miles long and has complex interchanges with I-295, US 130 and other major thoroughfares. With so many vehicles traveling at such rapid speeds, accidents are inevitable.

An extremely high number of these accidents involve semi-trucks. Trucking accidents on the turnpike are very common because this toll road is a major shipping lane. The New Jersey Turnpike travels from Pennsville to Ridgefield Park with several spurs branching off to major cities, and it has a default speed of 65 miles per hour. This makes it an ideal road for large trucks carrying goods to other parts of the country.

In the past year alone, there have been several major New Jersey truck accidents. For example, in August 2022, there was a crash near Hamilton Township that involved multiple tractor-trailer trucks. The crash led to a massive fireball that entirely shut down the New Jersey Turnpike. Another crash in the summer of 2022 led to massive injuries when a truck plowed into a stalled vehicle on the side of the turnpike. Fatalities also occurred in April 2022 when a truck ran into a concrete support on the Robbinsville stretch of the turnpike.

Why Do So Many Accidents Happen on the Turnpike?

There are several underlying factors behind these turnpike accidents. Though it is possible for two vehicles with responsible drivers to end up in a crash, many trucking accidents involve negligent behavior. One of the most common reasons for an accident is failure to obey traffic laws and road safety guidelines. Truck accidents are more likely to happen in situations where one or both drivers are:

• Speeding
• Failing to signal before changing lanes
• Merging without checking blind spots
• Tailgating other drivers
• Failing to slow down around curves
• Driving fast in rain and snow

Truck accidents on the turnpike are also frequently linked to distracted driving. If a driver is on their phone, changing the radio or eating while driving, they are more likely to crash. When a driver is not paying close attention, they might not see other vehicles and react in time. Another reason for crashes is fatigued driving, especially in cases where truckers are required to drive for hours on end; it is easy for the driver to drift off and quit paying close attention to the road. In an unfortunately high number of cases, driving under the influence is also a factor. Truck drivers who are drinking alcohol or using drugs like painkillers or stimulants are more prone to crashing.

Keep in mind that many accidents can happen due to factors besides the way a person is driving. Trucks are very complex pieces of machinery that require frequent maintenance. Up to 30% of all truck accidents on the turnpike are due to tire defects, which often happen when the truck driver or trucking company fails to change tires regularly. Poorly maintained brakes, improperly secured cargo or loose connections between trailers and cabs can all lead to accidents.

Turnpike Truck Accidents Can Have Devastating Consequences

Unfortunately, collisions with a semi-truck on the New Jersey Turnpike can be extremely dangerous. These massive vehicles can barrel over smaller trucks and cars, causing a lot of damage. Once they pick up speed on the turnpike, their weight makes it very hard for them to slow down. A crash with a semi-truck on the turnpike tends to be far more dangerous than two small cars bumping into each other at a red light. In fact, a sizable number of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents involve a large truck. Even in cases where no one dies, truck accidents are more likely to cause permanent health problems, such as limb loss or chronic pain.

These sorts of dangerous car accidents have been on the rise. The increase in shipping and online ordering is having an unfortunate effect on turnpike crashes. New Jersey accident statistics show that fatality rates are soaring. In 2019 and 2020, there were 550 or fewer fatal crashes, but in 2021, the state had 669 fatal crashes. This steep increase in fatalities is a concerning trend.

What You Should Do After a Truck Accident on the Turnpike

Of course, the main thing you should do after any accident is to get to a safe spot, contact the police and seek medical care if necessary. Once these essentials are handled, you can focus on making sure you get compensation for the damages you have incurred. If possible, collect contact information from the witnesses and take pictures at the scene of the accident. Even if you are not visibly injured, it can be a good idea to get a post-accident checkup.

Next, it’s time to talk to a personal injury lawyer who specializes in truck crash litigation can help you determine whether a truck accident lawsuit is worth your time. If another party’s negligence led to the accident, you can sue them to recover damages. In any personal injury case, you’ll just need to show that the other party behaved irresponsibly and that their inappropriate behavior led to financial, physical or mental harm. Depending on your situation, you can ask the at-fault party to provide compensation for many things, including:

• Medical bills
• Car repairs
• Lost wages while recovering
• Pain and suffering
• Therapy for mental trauma
• Lost earnings potential due to a permanent injury
• Wrongful death of a loved one

In trucking accidents on the New Jersey Turnpike, it is important to keep in mind that multiple parties can be at fault. New Jersey is a comparative negligence state, so even if your action contributed to the crash, you can still get compensation as long as you weren’t more responsible than the other party or parties. Depending on your situation, you might need to sue one or more parties. Most lawsuits start by naming the truck driver themselves. Since truck drivers are typically employees of other companies, you can also sue their employer for failing to train or supervise their employees. In some cases, you may even be able to sue the manufacturer of the trucking equipment or the contractor responsible for turnpike upkeep.

If you end up in an accident with a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike, the right legal representation makes a huge difference. At RAM Law, we have a team of personal injury lawyers who assist people throughout the New Brunswick and Somerville regions. We’re happy to discuss your situation and help you determine whether or not you have grounds for a lawsuit. If you decide to sue, we can assist you with collecting evidence and presenting your case in court. To schedule your free consultation, call 732-394-1549 or fill out our contact form today.