What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in South Jersey?
South Jersey is home to incredible restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. It is also just a 30-minute trip to Philadelphia for a large portion of the region. However, South Jersey is also home to some of the most dangerous roads in the state, including the infamous Route 130, where dozens of pedestrians are killed each year and hundreds more car accidents occur. The most dangerous roads aren’t just limited to those closest to the city either.
Route 130 has been the “most dangerous” road before
Rt 130 has had trouble shedding the title of “most dangerous” roadway for pedestrians in the past. For five consecutive years between 2008 and 2013 (no report issued in 2009), Rt 130 was named the “most dangerous” for pedestrians. The dubious award is based on pedestrian deaths from the previous three years of the year the list is released.
While Rt 130 may not have made any recent lists, it is still one of the most dangerous roads in all of South Jersey for motorists and pedestrians alike. There have already been four people killed in crashes on the highway in 2024. Three of the four fatalities occurred in Pennsauken, Camden County.
There were nine fatalities on the South Jersey stretch of Rt 130 in 2023 in car accidents, which means that 2024 is already on pace to surpass that total as of the end of March.
There are stretches of Rt 130 that have very narrow lanes, no sidewalks, poor lighting and poorly marked crosswalks. Drivers often speed past you at rates of 80 MPH or more in areas that have posted speed limits of 45-55 MPH. On top of it all, there always seems to be a portion of the road under construction, with lanes shifted, removed, or blocked entirely.
The New Jersey Turnpike
There were nine fatalities on the South Jersey portion of the Turnpike in 2023 and two people died in separate crashes in Burlington County early in 2024. Even though the posted speed limit on the majority of the South Jersey stretch is 65 MPH, you will be hard pressed to find many drivers obeying it.
In Northern Burlington County the Turnpike splits into two segments: the Cars Only section and the Trucks, Buses, Cars section. Vehicles traveling in the Cars Only section tend to hit the gas pedal a bit more because of less congestion and less slower moving vehicles (trucks and buses).
Because the Turnpike connects the extreme southern portion of the state to the highways leading to New York City, you see a ton of truck traffic when traveling this toll road. It also doesn’t help that there are dozens of warehouses built just feet off of multiple exits of the Turnpike. Truck traffic is high on other highways in South Jersey (Rt 130 and I-295 to name a few), but the Turnpike is where you see the majority of them.
Route 70
Route 70 runs just under 60 miles between Pennsauken in Camden County to Wall Township in Monmouth County, with a majority of the highway being in South Jersey (Burlington County specifically). Seven people were killed in car accidents on Rt 70 in Burlington and Camden counties in 2023. There has been one fatality so far in 2024 along the same stretch of highway.
The issue with Rt 70 is a recent one: there seems to be a never ending number of construction projects along many stretches of Rt 70, including a large portion of Cherry Hill.
The latest project began in early 2022 and is not slated to be completed until at least late 2026/early 2027. It stretches more than nine miles from the Rt 70 intersection with Kings Highway into Pennsauken. There are smaller stretches from Cherry Hill to Evesham that are also being worked on. Lanes are completely dug up, side streets have limited access, lanes are shifted, temporary traffic lights have been installed at some intersections and the businesses that line the highway have suffered immensely.
Interstate 295
I-295 connects residents and businesses to Delaware from portions of New Jersey located near the Turnpike and beyond. Much like Rt 130, it is a speedway when congestion is at a minimum. The area in and around Route 42 and I-676 has been under construction for more than a decade with no end in sight. Recently, a retaining wall collapsed under a ramp that was under construction in 2021. Repairs are still ongoing as this portion of the highway continues to see traffic barrels, lane closures, and new traffic patterns. 2023 saw six people lose their lives in car accidents on I-295 through South Jersey and two reported fatalities so far in 2024.
Route 30
Also known as the White Horse Pike, Rt 30 runs through Camden and Atlantic Counties in South Jersey. It is a popular route for visitors traveling to Atlantic City, Brigantine, Somers Point and other shore points who want to avoid the congestion of the Atlantic City Expressway and Garden State Parkway. It is also a very dangerous road. Rt 30 features long stretches of road with no traffic lights or stop signs, making it difficult for intersection side street motorists to enter onto the highway safely. There were 13 people killed in traffic accidents on Rt 30 in 2023. To date there have been two fatalities on Rt 30 in 2024.
Route 55
Route 55 is a heavily traveled highway in South Jersey because of its proximity to Philadelphia and its near-direct connection to Rowan University in Glassboro via Route 322. There were four fatalities on Rt 55 in 2023 and one fatality so far in 2024.
We chose these roads not only because people have already died on them this year, but because they each pose a different kind of risk to drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians. No matter where your car accident happened, though, our lawyers in Cherry Hill want to help.
Victims of car accidents, whether they survive with serious injuries or pass away, deserve to have their rights protected. This includes being compensated for medical expenses, lost wages, lost time at work, and their family being compensated for funeral and burial costs if they lose a loved one. Ferrara & Gable fights vehemently for those impacted by car accidents in Cherry Hill and all of South Jersey. Call our office or submit our contact form today to schedule a free consultation.