Jersey Shore Personal Injury and Employment Specialists

Improved data collection could help reduce crashes, study finds

On Behalf of | May 18, 2017 | Car Accidents |

If you were involved in a crash in Monmouth County, you were likely stuck dealing with a number of issues in the aftermath. Injuries, car damage and insurance claims are just some of the things that accident victims must contend with. At Escandon, Fernicola, Anderson & Covelli, we understand that being in an accident is stressful and that preventing them is important to you and your family.

One way that drivers can be safer is for experts to understand why accidents happen. They try to do this by analyzing available data about crashes. A new study has taken a look at how accidents are reported and data is compiled and found that in many cases, the information reported is not completely accurate or does not show the full picture, according to NorthJersey.com.

From a law enforcement perspective, collecting information at a crash site is not easy. People are not always forthcoming about their behaviors because they do not want to get in trouble and investigating a minor crash can be very time consuming. However, the more information experts have available about crashes, the better they can work to help prevent them.

One potential improvement identified was making it possible for crash reports to be filed electronically. In New Jersey, police still use written forms. In addition, asking those involved in accidents a uniform set of questions at every scene, such as whether they were tired or were using their phones, could help ensure that helpful information is gleaned.

300,000 crashes are reported in New Jersey each year. For information on what to do if you have been involved in a motor vehicle collision, please visit our web page.