New Jersey drivers may be more likely to be in a fatal accident than in the previous year based on 2015 figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In the first nine months of 2014, there were 23,796 fatalities around the country, down 1.2 percent from the previous year. In the first nine months of 2015, there were more than 26,000.
From 2000 to 2014, there was an overall decrease of 22 percent, but the figures released for the first nine months of 2015 represent a 9.3 percent increase over the comparable period in 2014. The NHTSA says that 94 percent of motor vehicle accidents are caused at least in part by human factors and that it intends to address issues such as seat belt safety and drunk driving in order to bring the numbers back down. One initiative the NHTSA plans is regional summits that will examine the causes of the accidents.
Many accidents happen due to distracted driving. Multiple studies have shown that it only takes a few seconds of inattention from the road to cause an accident.
When this occurs, passengers and other drivers may be seriously injured. Expenses may include medical costs and lost wages. People who are injured in motor vehicle accidents may want to discuss the situation with an attorney who may try to negotiate with the insurance company in order to get fair compensation. In some cases, it might be necessary to file a lawsuit. It is possible to file a civil lawsuit even if the driver does not face criminal charges in the accident, and if it can be demonstrated that the driver was negligent, a civil suit might be successful.