A 16-year-old boy was killed in a pedestrian accident outside of his apartment complex in Toms River, New Jersey reports The Star-Ledger. The teenager was reportedly crossing the road around 8 p.m. when struck by an SUV. Although charges have not been filed against the driver, the accident is being investigated by authorities from the Toms River Police Department, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the county Sheriff’s Department. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Based on data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 583 total traffic fatalities occurred in New Jersey in 2009, with 157 of these fatalities involving pedestrians. It was also calculated in 2009 that in the United States, on average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and one injured every nine minutes in traffic accidents.
Pedestrian accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, some of which can be attributed to motorist negligence. It is well-accepted that motorists must yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a cross walk. In far too many cases, an inattentive driver simply did not see the pedestrian, or, could not stop in time to prevent an accident because they were driving too fast for the circumstances existing at the time.
At Blume Forte, our New Jersey pedestrian accident lawyers have decades of trial experience ensuring the rights of accident victims are protected. Our firm is also dedicated to helping family members of wrongful death victims pursue claims against responsible parties. To find out more about your potential legal rights, call us at 973-845-4421 for a no-cost consultation.