1 Person Dead, 2 Injured in Head-On Collision on Jersey City’s Lincoln Highway Bridge

Jersey City, NJ (February 10th, 2022) – The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office reports that a person was tragically killed and several others were injured in a head-on collision that happened on Lincoln Highway Bridge on the Jersey City side.

The collision happened on Thursday morning shortly before 11 a.m. It is reported that the head-on collision happened on the eastbound lanes of Routes 1 and 9, which connect Jersey City to Newark and Kearny.

The bridge, which was named the Shawn Carson and Robert Nguyen Memorial Bridge, does have a concrete divider.

Based on a preliminary investigation, it is said that a person driving a Nissan Altima was heading west on the eastbound lanes of the bridge when the vehicle was sideswiped by a Kia Sedan. The person driving the Nissan has only been identified by prosecutors as a 52-year-old man. The individual driving the Kia has been identified as a 20-year-old woman.

As a result of the impact, the Nissan was pushed onto the wrong side of the bridge before colliding head-on with a Hyundai, which was being driven by a 28-year-old man from Jersey City.

The 52-year-old driver of the Nissan was pronounced dead at the crash site just after 11 a.m. Until a formal identification of the deceased victim has been made, his name is being withheld.

The woman driving the Kia declined any medical attention from paramedics upon their arrival. The driver of the Hyundai was transported to the Jersey City Medical Center for treatment.

The Jersey City Police Department is being assisted by the Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit to further investigate the accident.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the deadly accident is the third in the county this year. Last year alone, there were 28 reported fatal accidents, which resulted in a total of 29 deaths.

Although any motor vehicle accident can be dangerous and life-changing, head-on accidents tend to cause greater harm to victims, generally causing catastrophic injuries and death. Head-on collisions usually happen when the front ends of two cars collide with one another. Unfortunately, even when both vehicles are traveling at low speeds, the injuries sustained by those involved can be catastrophic.

The underlying causes of head-on accidents are very similar to other types of traffic collisions as they usually involve driver error or the negligence of another party.

One of the leading causes of a head-on accident is driving while distracted. Using a cell phone while driving to talk, send text messages, or view pictures and videos are perhaps some of the most dangerous driving practices a person can engage in. Other activities that can lead a driver to become inattentive of the road ahead include eating or drinking, searching for an address, adjusting the radio, and reading.

Another major cause of head-on accidents is driving while under the influence of an intoxicating substance, such as drugs and/or alcohol. Most drivers around the nation are well aware of the dangers of driving while drugged or drunk. Sadly, negligent drivers will ignore the dangers and continue to drive while intoxicated. When a person is intoxicated, this may severely reduce his or her driving skills in more ways than one. For instance, an intoxicated driver may become dizzy, sleepy, have an altered response time, and have blurry vision. Any symptom of intoxication can lead to a tragic mistake and can cause reckless driving, which may lead to a head-on accident.

Driver fatigue is unfortunately very common among drivers, especially when a driver travels for long periods of time. When a driver is struggling to remain awake and ultimately falls asleep at the wheel, the driver will likely drift into oncoming traffic. Whenever a person is driving while fatigued, authorities encourage drivers to get off the road to rest and grab a snack or drink before entering the road again. As a result of the dramatic increase in interstate commerce, large commercial vehicles are more common than ever across American roads. These drivers are often overworked and fatigued when on the road thus increasing the dangers of head-on collisions.

Speeding is also another major cause of head-on accidents. A person who is driving recklessly increases the dangers of an accident, but a person who is speeding also increases the risk of the soon-to-follow catastrophic consequences. Speeding drivers can easily lose control of their vehicle and veer off their lane into oncoming traffic causing a head-on collision.

Whenever the negligence of another driver leads to an accident resulting in catastrophic injuries, the victims of the accident may have the opportunity to seek additional compensation from the at-fault party. Depending on the specifics of each case, an injured person may be able to secure compensation for his or her medical expenses, loss of income and earning potential, future surgery, rehabilitation, emotional distress, and pain and suffering.

When the head-on accident victim loses his or her life as a result of the accident, his or her family can pursue legal action against the at-fault party for compensation. Through a wrongful death claim, the victim’s survivors can obtain compensation for the economic losses they incurred as a result of the tragic and untimely death of their loved one.

Following a head-on accident in New Jersey, it is important for accident victims to seek the legal support and guidance of a well-versed personal injury attorney who has experience in handling these types of horrific traffic accidents. A knowledgeable attorney will act quickly to collect all necessary evidence at the scene and work diligently to build a strong case against the negligent party. A proficient attorney will ensure the victim receives the compensation he or she is truly entitled to.

For many years, the attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. have worked aggressively to protect the rights and interests of their clients who suffered tremendously at the hands of a negligent party. As a result of their many years of dedicated legal experience, the law firm is poised to help clients receive the highest amount of compensation possible. Allow the attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. to fight for the monetary compensation you truly deserve. Schedule a free case evaluation by contacting the firm today.