Car accidents happen in different places and for different reasons.
For example, if your crash happened on a highway such as the Route 80, Route 17, Route 4, Route 1&9, Route 208 or the turnpike, the other driver was probably speeding, on his phone, following too closely, not staying in his lane, or dangerously merging in the highway.
If the crash happened in a Bergen County town such as Hackensack or a residential area, the other driver probably blew the stop sign, ran a red light, made a dangerous left turn, rear ended you or was distracted.
Even though you know how the accident happened, the other driver will do his best to deny fault. If he rear-ended you, he will say that you stopped short. If he ran the red light, he will say he had the green light. If he veered out of his lane, he will say that you crossed into his lane.
So, let’s look more closely at who is to blame in these situations:
Left Hand Turn:
As you drive down the road and have the right of way, other cars that want to come onto your road must stop and wait for the road to be clear before turning onto the road. The other car must yield. It can be especially dangerous if that car wants to make a left turn onto your road. In New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 39:4-90 states that a motorist making a left turn has “the duty to await an opportune moment for the turn and exercise an increased amount of care in proportion to the increased danger involved in the turn.” So if other car caused the crash while making a left turn onto your road, the law is very much on your side.
Intersection with Stop Signs:
You’ve seen it happen so many times. You get to the stop sign, come to a complete stop and suddenly the car to your right or left rolls up to the stop sign and drives right through. It is bad manners and it is illegal. In New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 39:4-144 provides that “no driver of a vehicle…shall enter upon or cross an intersecting street marked with a stop sign unless he has first brought his vehicle…to a complete stop…and shall proceed only after yielding the right of way to all traffic on the intersecting street.”
Rear-End Hit:
They need to keep their distance and stop riding so close. If they don’t, they are breaking the New Jersey motor vehicle laws: N.J.S.A. 39:4-89 provides that “the driver of a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent… .” It is negligence by the other driver if he rear-ends you.
Unsafe Lane Change:
How many of these do you see on Route 17 on a Saturday afternoon? N.J.S.A. 39:4-88 provides that “a vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely with a single lane and shall not be moved from that lane until the driver has ascertained that the movement can be made with safety.”
When you were injured by a careless driver in Bergen County, you will need a lawyer who knows the area and the law that applies to the facts. Reach out to a car accident lawyer such as the lawyers practicing at Lesnevich, Marzano-Lesnevich, O’Cathain & O’Cathain, LLC if you have questions about your crash.