Motor Vehicle Accidents

NJ Waterways Can Be Very Dangerous

July 8, 2010 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

Summer holidays and vacations see more and more people turning to water activities as a respite from the rising temperatures. While area waterways provide much pleasure for the local community, they can be very dangerous if safety is not foremost in everyone’s mind.

An article on nj.com reported on Thursday, July 1, a canoe carrying four teenagers and traveling downstream in the Delaware River toward the Milford Bridge overturned in the river rapids and began filling with water. All four teens were rescued and brought to shore.

“Very fortunately, they were all wearing their life vests,” Holland Township police Chief David VanGilson commented. (1)

NJ’s Graduated Driver License Program is Model for Nation, but Changes Draw Controversy

July 5, 2010 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

The AAA Foundation for Safety has credited New Jersey stating, “New Jersey’s combination of licensing policies for young drivers is a model for the nation.” Recent changes to this law, however, have sparked controversy among young drivers, parents and lawmakers within this State.

Texting While Driving on NJ Roads

March 11, 2010 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

Year-over-year, there has been a decrease in the total number of crashes causing injury in the State of New Jersey. However, despite this decrease, polls show more and more NJ motorists are using phones to text messages while they are driving. Although NJ has instituted cell phone laws that prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, cell phone usage among drivers continues to increase and may negatively impact the safety of our roadways.

New Jersey’s cell phone law, which went into effect on March 1, 2008, prohibits texting and talking on hand-held phones while driving. Motorists violating the law face a $100 fine plus court costs and fees. Despite the institution of the law, the number of total injured in accidents involving hand-held cell phones dropped only slightly from 565 in 2007 to 549 in 2008 while the number of total injured as a result of these crashes increased (765 in 2007 to 795 in 2008) with fatalities rising to 7 in 2008 up from 2 in 2007.

Pam Fischer, Director of the State’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety was quoted as saying, “We’re enforcing this law. Law enforcement is out there. They are writing tickets every day but there are a lot more people out there violating the law than there are police officers writing tickets.”