18 Injured after Woodbridge Bus Accident Near Exit 11 on the Turnpike

By Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP | February 13, 2019

Bus Accident Woodbridge NJ TurnpikeLate this afternoon, an Alliance Transportation bus rolled over on the NJ Turnpike in Woodbridge, near exit 11, where the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway meet. Eighteen occupants, which we assume to mean the driver plus passengers, were on the bus when it overturned. According to Patch.com, all 18 people were transported to local hospitals, but thankfully no one is in life-threatening condition.

“The bus overturned on its side just past the toll booth as it was coming off the Parkway…. The bus rolled over on its side in the ramp to the truck lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike northbound,” Patch reports. NJ State Police are currently at the scene, investigating why the bus overturned. Trooper Alejandro Goez said that it could have had something to do with today’s snowstorm. While less snow fell than originally anticipated, the roads are wet, slick and icy. The Asbury Park Press reports that “Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth and all counties roughly east of I-287 were still under a winter weather advisory, while the northwestern part of the state was still under a winter storm warning,” and temperatures were “hovering” around freezing around 4:00pm today, approximately 30 minutes earlier than the bus accident.

Bad weather causes bad accidents

Inclement weather accounts for about 21% of all car crashes each year, and “weather-related automobile crashes have killed an average of 5,376 people annually, accounting for about 16 percent of all vehicular deaths,” per Department of Transportation findings. This is for a variety of reasons: not only is visibility poor, but often wheels cannot maintain traction on the road. Even an experienced driver can panic, or make a mistake.

Right now, we do not know if the bus driver made an error, or if there was another issue at play. For example, if bus’s tire treads were low, it’s possible that the curve of the ramp caused the wheels to lose traction, leading the bus overturning. It’s also possible that the driver hit a patch of black ice.

Helping bus accident victims collect compensation for their injuries

Whether the driver was negligent or not, if your loved one was hurt in the NJ Turnpike bus accident today, he or she can make a claim for compensation for his or her injuries. Alliance Transportation is a privately-owned company, and subject to the rules governing all common carriers. Your loved one’s medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering may all be compensable.

You also may be entitled to more than the insurance company offers you. That is why you need an attorney who you can trust, and who has the experienced and resources necessary to handle claims against large companies. Our firm represented the family of the late comedian James McNair, who was killed when a Walmart truck crashed into his limo; the crash also injured actor/comedian Tracy Morgan, who was a passenger in the limo with Mr. McNair. We know firsthand what it’s like to go up against a giant company who wanted to pay far less than what was just and right for our clients.

We are happy to hear that no one on the bus that overturned near Interchange 11 on the NJ Turnpike is facing life-threatening injuries. We wish them all a speedy recovery, and a quick resolution as to why the bus overturned in the first place.

The New Jersey injury lawyers of Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP routinely represent clients who have sustained serious injuries in car accidents and truck accidents on the Turnpike. We know what you’re up against. We’re ready to help. Call us at 732-777-0100 or contact us for a free consultation at our Edison, Red Bank, or Toms River office. If you are too injured to come to us, we will come to you. Let us help you get the justice you deserve, and the compensation you need.

Posted in Bus Accident