By: Richard L. Smith
Traffic-related deaths across New Jersey declined significantly in 2025, marking one of the most substantial year-over-year improvements in roadway safety in recent memory, according to state officials.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety announced that preliminary data shows fatal crashes fell by nearly 16 percent last year.
The number of deadly crashes dropped from 647 in 2024 to 547 in 2025.
The total number of people killed in those crashes, including drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians, also declined by approximately 15 percent, falling from 684 deaths in 2024 to 582 in 2025.
Pedestrian fatalities showed one of the most notable improvements, decreasing by nearly 24 percent. In 2024, 230 pedestrians were killed on New Jersey roadways, compared to 175 in 2025.
Driver fatalities dropped by about 15 percent, from 350 deaths to 299. Motorcyclist deaths saw the sharpest decline, falling roughly 40 percent from a historic high of 120 in 2024 to 72 in 2025.
State officials credited a combination of targeted traffic enforcement, expanded driver education, and roadway engineering improvements for the overall reduction.
While encouraged by the progress, they emphasized that the numbers still represent hundreds of lives lost and families affected.
New Jersey’s improvement outpaced national trends. Preliminary data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows an estimated 8 percent decline in traffic fatalities nationwide during the first half of 2025.
New Jersey was among 38 states and territories reporting a decrease during that period.
County-level data shows that fatalities declined in 15 of New Jersey’s 21 counties.
Camden, Cape May, Morris, Hudson, Ocean, and Salem counties were the only counties to record an increase compared to the previous year. Ocean County reported the highest number of traffic deaths in 2025 with 63 fatalities, while Hunterdon County recorded the fewest, with six.
Officials said efforts to reduce traffic deaths will continue statewide, stressing that even one fatal crash is too many and that ongoing enforcement and safety initiatives remain a priority.