Teens Suffer Serious Injuries in New Jersey Crashes

Teenagers continue to suffer serious and fatal injuries in New Jersey crashes. Although it is easy to attribute these crashes to inexperience, teens are often some of the safest drivers on the road. They are extremely vulnerable to reckless drivers, and their lives can be cut tragically short by catastrophic accidents. If your teen suffered experienced this after a car accident in New Jersey, you might be wondering about your legal options.

Teen Soccer Player Suffers Serious Injuries After SUV Rollover

In late October of 2024, an 18-year-old student suffered serious injuries after her SUV rolled over on Route 24. The collision ejected her onto the road after an impact with another SUV. Four other passengers were inside the SUV, but only she seemed to have been ejected. The drivers of both vehicles and three other passengers also suffered minor injuries, but this teen reportedly experienced much more serious consequences.

The crash remains under investigation, and it is not exactly clear which driver was at fault. News sources were quick to point out that the injured teen is the captain of a local high school team in Morris County. Her family has already set up a GoFundMe page, hoping to recover enough to cover her medical bills and other losses. The goal was to reach $200,000. Although this might seem like a lot of money, the long-term consequences of a serious crash can cost families millions, not hundreds of thousands.

The GoFundMe page included additional details about the nature of the student’s injuries. She reportedly suffered multiple cervical fractures, spinal swelling, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a broken lung. She is lucky to have survived, although it is not clear whether she will ever play soccer again. Her family says that she already underwent a spinal fusion surgery.

Teen Dies After Colliding With Parked Box Truck

In early November of 2024, a 19-year-old died after colliding with a parked box truck on I-80. Police say that the teen may have veered onto the shoulder before the impact, and the collision resulted in fatal injuries. The crash remains under investigation, and the driver of the box truck also suffered minor injuries in the collision.

These types of crashes are often fatal, as a rear-end collision with a commercial vehicle tends to cause catastrophic injuries. “Underriding” impacts are common, and smaller vehicles typically slip underneath the rear of box trucks. This causes a shearing effect, ripping away the roof of smaller sedans and potentially decapitating those inside.

One question that seems to be unanswered is whether the box truck was parked legally on the shoulder. Truckers often endanger motorists when parking on the shoulder, especially if their vehicles partially obstruct the roadway in the process. Impacts with parked trucks can be difficult to avoid, especially if the trucks are obscured by corners or hills.

Two Teens Die After Losing Control in Gloucester County

Also in early November, two teenagers lost their lives after their vehicle veered off State Highway 55. The teens reportedly lost control on Saturday night before leaving the highway and impacting a cluster of trees.

It is easy to attribute an incident like this to poor driving or inexperience on the road. However, sometimes these incidents are not what they seem. Just days earlier, the family of a teen who died under similar circumstances expressed their outrage at the lack of highway repairs on I-80. This family had lost their teen in 2020 when the vehicle he was traveling in hit a “dirt berm” and launched into the air. This dirt berm caused the vehicle to go over the guardrail, contributing to the deadly injuries suffered by the teen.

The family successfully settled their lawsuit with the Department of Transportation six months prior, but they say this still has not caused them to remove the dirt berm.

Can a New Jersey Accident Attorney Help if My Teen Was Injured?

If your teen is recovering from a serious car crash, an experienced New Jersey auto accident attorney may be able to help. Your child may face serious medical bills, lost income, and emotional distress on their road to recovery – and you may be eligible to pursue compensation on their behalf. With help from Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., you can hold negligent drivers accountable for everything your family was forced to endure. A lawsuit can provide much more reliable compensation than a GoFundMe page, so reach out today to get started with a real action plan.