New Jersey residents may have experience with navigating some of the most dangerous highways in the state. However, according to the state’s Department of Transportation, the roadways with the highest number of crashes are not necessarily the same ones with the highest rate of collisions. During 2014, Route 156 in Mercer County averaged over 14 collisions per million miles traveled, registering the highest rate in all of New Jersey. Interestingly enough, this highway is actually less than two miles long.
In contrast, two of the state’s longest and busiest highways, Route 9 and Route 1, average less than four collisions per million miles traveled. The most determinant factors attributed to a high crash rate may be the number of lanes available, the average volume of traffic and the length of the highway. Route 1 and Route 9 did not even break the list of the 10 state highways with the highest crash rates.
Route 59, averaging just below eight crashes per million miles traveled, had the tenth lowest crash rate on the list. Route 184, Route 7 and Route 139U each averaged less than nine crashes per million miles. Route 63 averaged nearly 10 crashes, while Route 124, Route 82 and Route 67 all averaged over 10 crashes per million vehicle miles. On Route 140, the 2014 average exceeded 11.8 crashes per million miles traveled. Many of these highways have higher rates because they are smaller roads leading into major highways or cities.
A person who has been injured in a car crash often must incur significant medical expenses and, in some cases, is unable to work for a prolonged period. If it can be shown that the crash was due to the negligence of another driver, the injured victim may want to meet with a personal injury attorney to determine the legal recourse that may be available for seeking compensation.