New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently had to speak on the death of a state trooper who was killed while investigating a vehicle fire on Interstate 295. The NJ State Trooper was hit by a car as he tried to inspect the fire.

This was the third time a New Jersey state trooper has died as a result of a motor vehicle accident in the past nine months, an alarming trend that has put safety experts on alert. Moreover, police fatalities in auto accidents are on the rise across the nation, with traffic fatalities typically registering as the number-one cause of death for police officers, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Governor Christie noted that the most recent auto accident-related death of a New Jersey police officer should remind us all of “how fragile life truly is and the dangers police officers face daily on the job.”

The reality is that it is not just police officers who face dangers on New Jersey roadways. For anyone who travels in a car, truck or other motor vehicle, or rides on a motorcycle, there is always the risk of a catastrophic accident. The risk of a tragic accident is even greater for people who ride motorcycles because they are often not protected by an airbag or by the body of a car.

Fatal Auto Accidents Involving New Jersey Police Officers

Sometimes, NJ police officers are injured while driving during inclement weather conditions — the same kind of safety issue that plagues numerous motorcycle riders throughout New Jersey. Other times, NJ law enforcement officers are killed when they get out of their vehicles, or off their bikes, and are struck by passing motorists.

In many ways, traffic accidents pose a greater threat to law enforcement than violence. Statistics show that a police officer is more likely to die in a car crash or motorcycle accident than they are to be killed in a shooting or due to a physical assault.

In New Jersey, where roadways can often be treacherous for anyone in a car or on a motorcycle, the risk of death in a motor vehicle accident is particularly high. Since 1921, when the NJ State Police was founded, numerous police officers have been killed in auto accidents.

Although motorcycle accident-related deaths for NJ State Troopers have subsided in recent years, it speaks volumes about the dangers of riding a motorcycle that motorcycle crash fatalities only lessened when the NJ State Police shifted away from having troopers patrol on bikes.

For more information, read the NJ.com article, “Car Crashes Are a Leading Cause of State Trooper Deaths.”

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, or if a loved one has been killed in a motorcycle crash, you need to contact an experienced attorney who is passionate about fighting for the rights of riders. Andrew S. Prince of Team Law will work tirelessly to make sure that you get the maximum compensation possible in your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.