Property owners in New Jersey have a legal obligation to ensure that their properties are safe for the people who use them. Some responsibilities of property owners include keeping their premises free of hazards, inspecting their premises for hazards and correcting any hazards they find on the premises. The property owner owes a certain degree of responsibility to people on their property depending on whether the people are classified as invitees, licensees or trespassers.
Risk of distracted driving caused by cellphone use
New Jersey distracted driving laws make it illegal for a person to text message on a cellphone while driving. Such laws were enacted to keep the highways safe, as the use of cellphones while driving is linked to frequent fatal and non-fatal accidents.
Driver fatigue and truck accidents
New Jersey residents may not be aware that large truck accidents kill nearly 5,000 people on average each year. Around 30 to 40 percent of large truck accidents are the result of driver fatigue. Driver fatigue comes about from working shifts made up of long hours of continuous driving with little or no breaks. These shifts may be scheduled in such a way that does not allow for sufficient rest and sleep time in between. This can lead to impaired reaction time and falling asleep at the wheel leading to a crash.
Statistics tell story of drunk driving accidents
Far too many New Jersey residents understand the impact of drunk drivers. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one American dies every 51 minutes because a drunk driver causes an accident.