NCJ Number
201593
Date Published
2002
Length
46 pages
Annotation
This report presents statistics on the number, causes, and victim characteristics for fatal motor vehicle accidents in New Jersey for 2001.
Abstract
In 2001 there were 677 fatal accidents in which 740 people were killed, an increase of 22 fatal accidents and 17 victims from the previous year. Of the victims, 31 percent had consumed some amount of alcohol; of all drivers in the fatal accidents, 10.4 percent were intoxicated according to legal definition. An average of 2.02 persons were killed every day in a motor vehicle accident. Pedal-cyclist accounted for 25 fatal accidents, and the pedestrian death toll was 130. There were 43 hit-and-run fatal accidents that involved 80 vehicles; the victims of the hit-and-run incidents were 10 drivers, 8 passengers, 23 pedestrians, and 4 pedal-cyclists. Of the 1,108 drivers recorded, 51 New Jersey drivers and 1 out-of-State driver had suspended licenses, and 47 drivers had invalid licenses. There were 36,175 miles of open public roads in the State, and there was one death in a motor vehicle accident for every 48.9 miles. A total of 55.1 percent of all fatal accidents occurred on straight roads, and 86.4 percent of the fatal accidents occurred under clear weather conditions. Of the known drivers involved in fatal accidents, 75.8 percent were males. Of the vehicles involved in fatal accidents, 60.1 percent were passenger cars. There were 37 tractor-trailers involved in 34 fatal accidents that resulted in 36 fatalities. Statistics are also presented by county, hours of occurrence, and day of occurrence. The ages of victims are also reported, along with what drivers and pedestrians were doing at the time of the accident, as well as contributing circumstances. Other data address fatal accidents and the number of persons killed for selected holiday periods; fatal accident investigation summary by police troop; and fatal accidents by county, municipality, date, time, and location. Extensive tables and figures