Speed and driver distraction were identified as contributing factors in an Aug. 19 car accident that killed three people in Monmouth County, reportedly. However, it was not clear what caused the 19-year-old driver of the Volkswagen Jetta involved in the wreck to become distracted, county officials stated.
The Freehold Township accident occurred on Kozloski Road. That is where the 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old female passenger were traveling in a Volkswagen Jetta, heading south. Purportedly, the driver was speeding and became distracted when he traversed the centerline and entered into the northbound lane, where his Jetta collided with an oncoming Honda Pilot. A third vehicle, driven by a 25-year-old Freehold man, could not avoid the crash and collided with the Pilot. According to authorities, the third vehicle became pinned underneath the Pilot.
The two occupants of the Jetta and the driver of the Pilot, a 50-year-old Freehold man, died at the scene of the accident. The 25-year-old driver of the third vehicle suffered critical head injuries requiring hospitalization. He ultimately survived his injuries, authorities reported.
Distracted driving results in thousands of fatal accidents each year. Drivers are susceptible to a variety of distractions, such as cellphones, stereos, makeup and food. When it can be proven that distracted driving contributed to a traffic accident resulting in injury or death, the at-fault driver may be held liable for the incident not only criminally but through civil action as well.
For, accident victims and families of deceased accident victims may seeking damages from negligent drivers via civil claims. An attorney with experience in personal injury and wrongful death suits may provide potential claimants with both counsel and representation if they wish to hold a negligent driver accountable for a deadly accident.
Source: New Jersey 101.5, “Prosecutor: Driver in fatal Freehold crash was speeding “, Toniann Antonelli , October 30, 2014