NJ ranks 5th in the U.S. in fentanyl-linked traffic deaths

So much has been said about the dangers of fentanyl and by now, if you haven’t read about it, you’ve been living under a rock.

But most of what we’re reading is what happens when other drugs get laced with fentanyl. And of course, those types of fentanyl-related deaths are at epidemic levels.

Now bring those statistics over to the highways and you will have some shocking news.

Fentanyl-related traffic, accidents and deaths are on the rise, too.

So much so that a new study decided to look at which cities were deadliest for drug-related traffic accidents.

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Overall, the study by Jerry, a car insurance app, shows that New Jersey ranks as the fifth state in the nation for most fatal crashes involving a fentanyl-positive driver.

Fentanyl was involved in nearly 75% of drug overdose-related deaths in New Jersey in 2019 – a drastic increase from its involvement in less than 4% of drug-related deaths just seven years prior.

Newark takes the top spot as New Jersey's deadliest city for drug-related car crashes. the fentanyl crisis is hitting our roads hard.

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It's not just Newark. Atlantic, Middlesex, and Ocean counties are feeling the impact too. They're leading the pack in drug-related fatal crashes.

And just in case you think that the further south you go the safer the driving is, listen to this. Ocean County is ground zero for fatal wrecks involving drivers on fentanyl. The news is getting more and more disturbing.

Even Toms River isn't spared. They've seen their fair share of tragedies too.

The study also looked at which days tend to be more dangerous on the roads of New Jersey. The answer is not surprisingly weekend days.

Sundays, Saturdays, and Friday are the riskiest days to be on the road in Jersey. In case you were wondering what is prime time for accidents on the Jersey roads it’s between 7 and 10 p.m.

This study is unfortunately not just sobering news about the highways of the great Garden State but of course, about the growing danger that is fentanyl, and how pervasive it actually is, affecting so much of our quality of life here in New Jersey.