Weather-Related Accidents in New Jersey

According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, there are approximately 300,000 crashes annually. Often, weather plays a large role in these accidents. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, more than a million crashes every year are caused by adverse weather conditions. That’s 22% of all vehicle crashes nationwide.

If you or someone you love was injured in a motor vehicle accident caused in whole or in part by adverse weather conditions, contact the New Jersey accident lawyers at Levinson Axelrod, P.A.

Common Weather Conditions That Cause Crashes

Federal transportation statistics cite six main causes of weather related crashes, including:

Wet pavement: By far the most common cause of weather related crashes at 73%, wet pavement causes approximately 907,831 crashes per year nationally.
Rain: Similar to wet pavement, rainfall also causes a large number of accidents per year. Rain and hydroplaning accounts for about 573,784 crashes annually, comprising 46% of all weather-related accidents.
Snow and sleet: Coming in third for the most common causes of weather related crashes, snow and sleet cause approximately 17% of weather related crashes.
Snowy pavement: Active snowfall was listed as the number three cause of weather related car crashes, but snow resting on pavement is also dangerous, causing about 14% of all weather related crashes.
Icy pavement: Ice on roads and highways can be extremely dangerous, especially the type of ice commonly referred to as “black ice” since it is difficult to detect. Icy roads cause approximately 13% of all weather related crashes.
Fog: Fog significantly reduces visibility for drivers. Reducing speed is essential to avoid things like rear-end accidents when you can’t see the driver ahead of you. Fog causes 3% of all weather related car crashes.

Does Insurance Cover Weather-Related Accidents?

If you have insurance and you are involved in a weather-related accident, you will likely get some form of coverage.

Required car insurance coverage in New Jersey is as follows:

Bodily Injury Liability - $15k per person / $30k per accident
Property Damage Liability - $5k per accident
Personal Injury Protection - $15k minimum
Uninsured and Underinsured Bodily Injury - $15k per person / $30k per accident
Uninsured and Underinsured Property Damage - $5k per accident with $500 deductible

New Jersey is one of currently 12 states that operate on no-fault auto insurance laws. This means that all drivers who are covered by auto insurance can recover money in the event of an accident from their own insurance company, regardless of fault.

Call Us After a Crash Caused by Bad Weather

If you or someone you love was recently involved in a weather-related car accident, we invite you to contact Levinson Axelrod, P.A. We have eight office locations throughout the state of New Jersey. We are your neighbors, we are your lawyers.

Get in touch with us today for a free evaluation of your car accident case.