Man Dies When Car Hits New Jersey Home

In Bergen County, a 68-year-old driver died at the scene on Friday when his car crashed into another car at the intersection of Woodside Avenue and Washington Place in Hasbrouck Heights and then crashed into a Lodi home.

On Saturday, two people were killed when their car veered into the shoulder and crashed into a vehicle used to protect workers on the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 12. A passenger was seriously injured, and two construction workers also had minor injuries.

Car accidents happen every day in New Jersey, and serious injuries are common. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of fatal injuries in the US. For people age five to 34, car crashes are the leading cause of death, period. Motor vehicle-related injuries lead to over a million emergency room visits every year.

The most common serious injuries in car accidents are to the legs and feet. Injuries to the head, chest, arms, hands, and neck are also common. Of course, wearing a seatbelt significantly reduces the chances of death or injury from a motor vehicle accident. However, even someone wearing a seat belt can suffer a serious injury, including a brain injury.

A sudden collision can cause a person’s brain to go from 60 to zero in a fraction of a second, forcing the soft brain tissue against the hard inside of the skull even if the person’s head doesn’t hit the dashboard or another hard object. Symptoms of such an injury don’t always appear right away.

“Whiplash” is the common term for the painful injury that often results when a car is rear-ended and the victim’s neck “whips” forward. Whiplash can cause headaches, pains in the neck and shoulders, and a tingling “pins and needles” sensation in the arms or legs. Whiplash usually only causes discomfort for a few days, but in extreme cases, it can be permanently disabling.

While car airbags have reduced injuries to the head and upper body, they do not protect the legs. In fact, for people wearing seat belts, the risk of injuries to the legs is actually higher in cars that have airbags.

If you or a family member were injured in a car accident, contact the New Jersey Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C.