0 4 Blog New Jersey is getting ready for the first major winter storm of 2019. One major hazard of this storm that we don’t come across often is a Flash Freeze. This refers to a rapid and significant drop in temperatures, causing any standing water to freeze on roadways and sidewalks. Here’s a great summary we received on the potential impacts of the Flash Freeze from top New Jersey weather resource Jonathan Carr. Carr is better known as JC to the 232k+ facebook followers on his Weather NJ page. “Lastly, once precipitation clears out to the East Sunday afternoon, temperatures will continue to drop well-below freezing statewide. By sunset on Sunday you should really feel the bitter cold. Any moisture on the ground that has not yet evaporated will absolutely freeze. This especially goes for road treatments that might have been washed away by the warmer second phase of rainfall. We haven’t faced a flash-freeze scenario like this in a long time. Therefore the greatest safety hazard of this phase will be slippery road conditions from about sunset on Sunday into the bitter-cold overnight hours into Monday morning. Wind chills should be wicked with many values BELOW-ZERO for much of the state.” (JC, WeatherNJ) As stated above, when this major winter storm is winding down, the danger may only be beginning on the roads of New Jersey. As a law firm that specializes in truck accidents, car accidents and rear-end crashes, we know how much driving in wintry weather can lead to major accidents. With this storm heading our way, it’s a good time to separate facts from fiction when it comes to winter driving. Top Wintry Weather Driving Myths Myth #1: Most serious icy road crashes are caused by careless drivers. Studies indicate that most serious weather-related car accidents and truck accidents result from drivers who were NOT operating their vehicles in a careless manner. In most cases, they are driving normally at reasonable speeds when they suddenly encounter ice and crash. “Wait, then does that mean my chances of staying safe are actually better if I drive carelessly and at higher speeds?” Of course not wiseguy. Myth #2: I’m a good driver, and I have the skill and experience to drive highway speeds in ice and snow conditions. On the contrary, a common factor in many of the most serious and fatal auto crashes is overconfidence in one’s abilities and/or equipment. Myth #3: Winter tires, 4WD, AWD, stability control, ABS and/or traction control allow for safe travel on icy roads at highway speeds. “The reality is that there is no technology, no tire nor any vehicle type that allows SAFE travel on any type of icy road (snow, sleet or freezing rain) at speeds greater than 45 mph. Not traction control, electronic stability control, 4WD, AWD, anti-lock brakes or the most expensive brand-new snow tires.” (iceroadsafety.com) Myth #4: Everyone should buy winter tires – that would prevent most icy road accidents. See myth # 3 Myth #5: The worst icy road dangers are during big winter storms. With this weekend’s storm coming, everyone is on high-alert and hopefully ready to take precautions to avoid travel. However, it’s those times that sneak up on drivers where the real danger begins. We only need to look back to our surprise November snowstorm that wreaked havoc across our area to understand this concept. “The road ice hazard isn’t the minor fender-benders or slide-offs common during snowstorms. The real danger is the serious, highway-speed crashes during light icing events that take drivers by surprise. Most accidents in snowstorms happen at the onset of the storm or on its fringes, where accumulations are lower.” (iceroadsafety.com) Myth #6: Salt, sand and plow truck crews are there to make roads safe for high-speed travel during snow and ice conditions, 100% of the time. New Jersey’s road crews work extremely hard plowing and salting the roads to keep them passable. However, they can only treat so many roads at a time and sometimes keeping up during a storm just isn’t possible. Regardless, even roads that are treated aren’t usually in ideal condition or safe for traveling at highway speeds. Many are expected to see this storm start as snow, change to ice, change to rain then go back to snow before a FLASH FREEZE settles in as . This will mean the salt on the roads is washed away by the change to rain, only for the snow to return and have everything freeze over. Myth #7: Icy roads are a bigger threat in colder climates where ice and snow is common. “The fatality and death rates per mile and per hour of winter precipitation events are actually higher in regions that only see a handful of snow and ice events each year.” STAY SAFE OUT THERE! MINTZ & GEFTIC – New Jersey Wintry Weather Accident Lawyers All car accidents and truck accidents require NO FEE unless we are successful in securing you a recovery to compensate you for your injuries and pain and suffering. We give personal attention to all of our clients. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, truck accident, rear end accident or pedestrian accident, call the best New Jersey injury lawyers today at 908-352-2323. If you were injured driving while working call us today at 908-352-2323. If you prefer contacting our injury lawyers via email, please click here. Our injury lawyers serve clients throughout New Jersey. This includes the cities of Newark, Elizabeth, Union, Short Hills, Millburn, Livingston and Jersey City. We cover Morris, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Union and Middlesex counties. Our accident lawyers have offices in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Short Hills, New Jersey and in New York City. We represent clients suffering with spinal cord injury, back injury, burn injury, broken bones and traumatic brain injury. If you are enduring physical pain and suffering, mental pain and suffering, permanent disability, disfigurement, lost wages, medical expenses or any other hardship resulting from an accident please contact us today for a free consultation. sources: http://weathernj.com Weather NJ facebook page iceroadsafety.com 4 Motor Vehicle AccidentsNew Jerseypersonal injury Related Posts New Jersey Hospital Safety Grades A national report card on hospital safety came out this week that all New Jersey residents should see. As one of New Jersey’s top medical malpractice law firms (see recent verdicts and settlements here) this report definitely caught the attention of our medical malpractice lawyers here at Mintz & Geftic. 0 0 0 27 Apr 2016 $150,000 Settlement for Rear-End Accident Injuries $150,000 settlement for our client for serious injuries suffered in a rear-end accident. Our client’s vehicle was struck from behind in Clifton, New Jersey in this rear-end accident. The crash caused him to suffer from an aggravation of preexisting cervical spine injury, In addition, our client suffered with a tear in his shoulder resulting in surgery. (PASSAIC COUNTY, New jersey 2021) MINTZ & GEFTIC FREE CONSULTATIONS AND NO FEE UNLESS WE WIN YOUR CASE All cases involving a rear-end accident, truck accident, car accident, slip and falls accident, or work-related accident require NO FEE unless we are successful in securing you a recovery to compensate… 0 0 0 24 Jan 2022 You Can Stay at the Y.M.C.A. (not really, but you can sue ‘em) The Honorable Stephanie A. Mitterhoff, J.S.C., in a well written and thorough opinion, held that the YMCA is not a charitable organization for purposes of New Jersey’s Charitable Immunity Act (“CIA”). By so holding, the YMCA may be sued for personal injuries caused by its negligence. 0 0 0 13 Oct 2015 What If My Medical Bills Exceed Insurance in New Jersey? After a serious car accident, many people assume that insurance will automatically cover all of their medical bills. Unfortunately, that is not always how it works. In New Jersey, medical bills after a crash may involve several different types of insurance, including Personal Injury Protection, health insurance, liability insurance, and possibly uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. If you were injured in or around Elizabeth, Union County, or Essex County, or anywhere throughout New Jersey, it is important to understand what may happen when medical bills exceed the available insurance. 💰 Why Medical Bills Can Add Up Quickly After a Car Accident Even a single… 0 0 0 13 May 2026 $531,000 settlement arising out of an automobile accident $531,000 settlement of an automobile accident case, of which $430,000 was for negligence and $101,000 was for workers’ compensation benefits. The case involved mild traumatic brain injuries suffered by the plaintiff (Monmouth County, New Jersey 2015) 0 0 0 10 Nov 2015 Mintz & Geftic Announces Bryan H. Mintz is on the 2016 New Jersey Super Lawyers List Mintz & Geftic of Elizabeth is pleased to announce that Bryan Mintz has been selected to the 2016 New Jersey Super Lawyers list. This is the third year in a row that Mr. Mintz has received this recognition. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Bryan H. Mintz Published by Thomson Reuters, New Jersey Super Lawyers announced its new listing of attorneys who have “attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.” The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a… 0 0 0 26 Mar 2016 New Jersey Traffic Deaths Way Up in 2016 One of our resolutions for 2017 is to write some blog posts that aren’t centered around gloom and/or doom. Well, I guess we’ll have to try harder next time…. New Jersey Traffic Deaths Increasing New Jersey traffic accidents lead to over 600 people tragically dying in 2016, according to a report released this week by the New Jersey state police. The number of fatalities occurring on the highways of New Jersey had been declining for several years, reaching a 20-year low back in 2013. However, since that time, the numbers are unfortunately trending back up and traffic experts have been pointing to a few… 0 0 0 04 Jan 2017 Bryan H. Mintz is on the 2017 New Jersey Super Lawyers List Mintz & Geftic of Elizabeth, New Jersey is pleased to announce that Bryan Mintz has been selected to the 2017 New Jersey Super Lawyers list. This is the fourth year in a row that Mr. Mintz has received this recognition. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. 0 0 0 31 Mar 2017 Thanksgiving Travel: Best & Worst Times to Drive in 2025 The cold air has settled in, the last of the leaves are falling from New Jersey’s trees, and Thanksgiving week is here again. Getting the chance to spend quality time with loved ones while enjoying some turkey and pumpkin pie always makes this holiday special. But as New Jersey’s premier car accident law firm, we also know that holiday weekends bring some of the most hazardous conditions on our roadways. This year is no exception. In fact, Thanksgiving 2025 is shaping up to be one of the busiest – and riskiest – travel periods ever. Thanksgiving 2025 Travel by the Numbers Record travel across… 0 0 0 24 Nov 2025 Bryan Mintz Named Super Lawyer for 10th Straight Year! New Jersey top personal injury attorney Bryan Mintz has received the Super Lawyer honor for the tenth consecutive year! An attorney being recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer in any one year is no small feat. Accomplishing this for a full decade is a major credit to Bryan and the team at Mintz & Geftic Personal Injury Law Firm. 2023 – The Super Lawyer Selection Process Only five percent of attorneys across the whole state of New Jersey are designated as Super Lawyers each year. In order to be eligible for this prestigious title, an attorney in New Jersey must go through a… 0 0 0 08 Jun 2023 iPhone Crash Detection Helps Save Man Submerged in Car We recently wrote about the new iPhone crash detection feature. That full breakdown can be found on our blog by clicking here. In short, when a severe crash—such as front-impact, side-impact, rear-end collisions and vehicle rollovers— is detected, your iPhone or Apple Watch will sound an alarm and display an alert on the screen. Users will have 20 seconds to dismiss the alert. If they’re unable to respond in time, emergency services will be called, and the device will share your location with a dispatcher. At the time we discussed how positive this innovation seemed on the surface, but we wanted to wait for… 0 0 0 24 Apr 2023 $2.1 Million Settlement for injuries in an automobile accident $2.1 million settlement for injuries involving serious personal injuries caused by an automobile accident. The recovery included $191,000 in workers’ compensation benefits and $1,986,475 for negligence. (Union County 2010). 0 0 0 23 Jul 2015 What Is a Car Accident Case Worth in New Jersey? When someone is injured in a car accident, one of the first questions they ask is: “What is my case actually worth?” The honest answer is—it depends. But in New Jersey, there are clear factors that determine whether a case is worth a few thousand dollars… or hundreds of thousands (or more). If you were injured in or near Elizabeth, understanding these factors can help you better evaluate your situation. Consultations are always free. Call or text us today at 908-352-2323 to discuss your case. 💰 The Biggest Factors That Determine Case Value 1. The Severity of Your Injuries This is the single most… 0 0 0 08 Apr 2026 The Importance of Civil Reservations in Automobile Accident Cases This week, in Maida v. Kuskin, the New Jersey Supreme Court addressed an important aspect of civil reservations. 0 0 0 18 Mar 2015 Portable Generators – Benefits, Dangers & Lawsuits The effects of Hurricane Ida were major! From its first landfall along the Gulf coast to its arrival here in New Jersey, Ida’s path was destructive. Several families have endured catastrophic damage and some have even lost loved ones as a result of Ida. While Ida may not have been considered a major hurricane (or even a hurricane) by the time it worked its way to our area, the effects on the people of New Jersey were clearly major to say the least. Our hearts go out to all of the families affected by these recent events. There were millions of customers without… 0 0 0 07 Sep 2021 Leave a comment Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment.
