Fewer cars on NJ roads but still more fatal accidents in 2020
During a year of stay-at-home orders, curfews, and working and attending school remotely, more individuals lost their lives on New Jersey s roads.
According to preliminary New Jersey State Police data, 553 fatal crashes resulted in 590 deaths in 2020. There were 524 fatal crashes in both 2019 and 2018.
The numbers accompany a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which found more risky behavior on the roads, even with fewer cars on it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report highlighted an increase in speeding, statistics that point to fewer people wearing seat belts, and a high rate of drivers testing positive for drugs or alcohol.
12 things you should have in your car if you have to drive in the snow
Updated Feb 02, 2021;
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Most of New Jersey is blanketed in snow after a long storm walloped the Garden State with up to two feet of snow in some places. While the state is still advising people to stay off the roads so the plows can keep things clear, if you have to get in your car, safety experts say drivers should take steps now to ensure their cars are stocked with essential items.
From standard winter tools to extra clothing to keep warm, these are among the most important items to stash in your vehicle in case you have to trek through snowy roads to get to work or school, or make your way home safely.
Your need for speed will be best spent on a high school or college track, because if it s on the roads or you ve got the phone to the ear while driving, you will now be more likely to get a ticket on Monmouth County roads, as more eyes will be watching than ever before.
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office has received two grants, in the amount of $20,000 each, from the New Jersey Office of Highway Traffic Safety as law enforcement will be out more often looking for signs you re driving distracted in a new campaign that begins Monday February 1 and goes through September 30, 2021.
Fatal crashes increased on N.J. highways in 2020, despite drop in traffic
Updated Jan 11, 2021;
Posted Jan 11, 2021
Motor vehicle accident on Route 130 north bound lanes near the intersection of S. River Road in Cranbury Township. Wednesday, November 11, 2020.
Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media
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New Jersey finished 2020 with a five percent increase in traffic fatalities compared to 2019, despite a drop in people driving when coronavirus travel restrictions were in place last spring, foreshadowing what might happen nationally.
The grim statistic, which safety experts blamed on bad driver behavior, saw 27 more people killed in 548 traffic crashes and collisions for a total of 585 deaths, according to State Police statistics.
It’s the middle of your 24-hour shift, and you get a call: “Male found down.” That’s it nothing more. You arrive to find a 20ish male who is barely breathing after taking an unknown substance. He was dropped off by some friends at his girlfriend’s house.
You and your partner start bagging him and decide to give naloxone. The patient starts breathing on his own but still has apneic periods. You place him on a 15-liter nonrebreather facemask, but you think he might need something more. You consider putting him on a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine but are concerned his altered mental status might make the attempt futile.