Jersey Shore Personal Injury and Employment Specialists

Talk of changing speed limits to combat speeding in NJ

On Behalf of | Aug 20, 2018 | Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Driving faster than the speed limit is not a new problem for local authorities in New Jersey. In fact, speeding is one of the most prevalent problems on the road all over the United States. While lawmakers and the authorities have tried multiple methods to incentivize drivers and encourage them to follow posted speeds, they still have to plan ahead for creative ways to deal with the drivers who refuse to listen. While speeding may not seem like a serious issue, drivers who go faster than the recommended speed pose a significant threat to the safety of others. When they encounter road hazards, inclement weather or other factors, they may not have enough time to correct their course before they end up causing a violent collision.

A recent observation of speeding issues in New Jersey has some lawmakers very concerned about the potential increase in fatal car accidents. In the year 2017, various data was collected in an effort to prove that many drivers were deliberately ignoring the posted speeds. The results were quite stunning; it was reported that on average, only 23 percent of all Jersey drivers who were surveyed at a given time, had actually been driving the speed limit or below. In another area, that number was even lower at 18 percent.

In an effort to encourage drivers to be responsible and stop ignoring the speed limit, one lawmaker has proposed that speed limits be changed to reflect the speeds that drivers are actually following. In some areas, the speed would increase from 55 to 75 miles per hour while others would see an increase from 65 to 80. He argues that multiple other states have implemented similar speeds and New Jersey may benefit from following that trend.

If people have been the victim of a car accident, they may wish to hire an attorney to represent their case. Having a legal professional on their side may allow them access to the resources they need to acquire the compensation they deserve.

Source: app.com, “New Jerseyans don’t obey the speed limit; Monmouth lawmaker wants to change them,” Nicholas Pugliese and Trenton Bureau, Aug. 17, 2018