The world learned how dangerous the New Jersey Turnpike is when comedian Tracey Morgan was seriously injured while traveling on it in 2014. Those of us living in New Jersey know that kind of accident is a regular occurrence, injuring and killing people far less famous.
- An accident last month on the southbound lane just north of exit 8A in South Brunswick left four people injured, according to CBS New York. They were all sent to the hospital; two were listed in serious condition, the other two were in critical condition. One of the victims suffered the amputation of a leg in the accident. All of them were soldiers in the Army Reserves, based in Queens, who was trapped underneath their Humvee when it flipped over.
- A 21-year-old woman from South Brunswick was killed in April after her car crashed into the back end of a disabled semi-trailer parked on the southbound side of the turnpike in Woodbridge. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Woodbridge Patch.
- In February, a 48-year-old man and his 5-year-old daughter were killed on the turnpike’s Hudson County Extension west of the 14C toll plaza. Three vehicles were involved in the accident, and the accident injured three other people, according to nj.com.
- The famed mathematician and Nobel Prize winner John Forbes Nash, Jr., the subject of the book and movie A Beautiful Mind, died in a car crash with his wife on the New Jersey Turnpike last May, reported Time magazine.
The New Jersey Turnpike (nicknamed “The Black Dragon”) opened 65 years ago, and state troopers must have at least 18 months of experience before they’re assigned there, according to ABC News. The highway’s 122 miles cuts a path through industrial New Jersey, from the cities of Newark and Elizabeth, passing New Brunswick and Trenton, down to Camden and the Delaware border.
It’s designed to move people and goods between New York and Philadelphia as quickly as possible. Before the turnpike opened, traveling that distance could take five hours; now, traffic permitting, it could take about two hours. In the north of the state, it’s twelve lanes wide and split into four sections, while farther south the turnpike narrows. It’s generally wide and straight, which encourages speeding — and increases the risk of accidents.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority states that in the twelve months ending March 31, more than 251 million vehicle trips were taken on the highway. Drivers paid $1.127 billion in toll revenue during that period.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike due to the negligence of another party, schedule a free consultation with our office by calling us at (973) 358-6134 or by using our online quick connect form. Statutes of limitations apply, so contact us as soon as possible so you can learn about your legal rights and take action to protect your interests.