There have been many stories about the unexpected number of car accidents and fatalities last year. After all, with the reduced number of people on the roadways, we all assumed less accidents and fatalities would occur. But, that simply was not the case because as driver got more room, they increased their speed significantly, which resulted in crashes and more severe injuries and deaths. Unfortunately, it looks like 2021 is looking even worse.
The 2020 numbers
According to the New Jersey State Police, there was a bit over 1.5 motor vehicle accidents every day in 2020, so about 550. In those accident, there were almost 600 fatalities, or more than 1.6 deaths every day last year. For Morris County, we accounted for 17 car accidents and 17 fatalities.
The 2021 number
At this point, we are already on pace to have about 20 more accidents and 8 more fatalities in 2021. And, in Morris County, we are on pace to hit 21 crashes and 21 fatalities. While these numbers may not seem very high, they are higher than last year, and remember, each fatality is a devastated family. Think about being the brother, sister, friend or family member of one of these accident victims. That is where these numbers come home because no one wants to be one of those number or even know them.
Car accident preparedness and avoidance
For Florham Park, New Jersey, residents, these numbers are scary. But, we can take steps to avoid being one of them. First, drive safely and defensively. This will help us avoid being in an accident, but there is no way to 100% avoid an accident. As such, it is wise to prepare for one. Install a dashboard camera. This can help prove fault. Always call 9-1-1 to get a police officer to the scene of the accident. Often, dispatchers will try to find a way to minimize the car accident to avoid needing to send a police officer. This is why it is so important to never say no one was injured or downplay the seriousness of the accident. A police report can also help prove fault, and especially where there is no dashboard camera footage, it can stop a negligent driver from avoiding liability.
