Ocean county is the deadliest place to drive in new jersey according to state police fatal crash records
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Ocean County is the Deadliest Place to Drive in New Jersey According to State Police Fatal Crash Records

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2 mins read
January 1, 2026

Toms River, NJ – Ocean County once again led New Jersey in traffic deaths, according to Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, as new data revealed the county recorded more fatal crashes than any other part of the state—defying a statewide trend of declining roadway fatalities.

State records show that in 2025, Ocean County saw 62 deaths in 53 separate crashes, the highest total among all 21 New Jersey counties, surpassing Middlesex County with 48 and Essex County with 42. Sheriff Mastronardy said the latest numbers reflect a continuing pattern that has kept the county under scrutiny for years.

Preliminary data for 2025 shows that while overall traffic deaths in New Jersey dropped by 15 percent—falling from 675 fatalities in 2024 to 575 this year—Ocean County’s total has risen.

By June, the county had recorded 28 traffic deaths, and by November, that number had climbed to 52, keeping Ocean County near the top of the state’s fatal crash list as final year-end totals are compiled.

Mastronardy said a large number of those deaths involved pedestrians.

Several of the more notable deaths involved illegal migrants and drunk drivers.

Several roadways have consistently appeared in crash analyses. The Garden State Parkway remains a high-speed corridor with frequent serious accidents. Route 9, running parallel to the coast, has a long history of fatal collisions often linked to speeding and distracted driving. Route 72, the main route to Long Beach Island, becomes heavily congested in tourist months, while Route 37 in Toms River—particularly near Fischer Boulevard—has been identified as a persistent high-crash location. The Route 9 and Route 70 junction in Lakewood also remains one of the region’s most dangerous intersections.

Officials said state and local agencies are coordinating enforcement and awareness campaigns to address persistent problem areas, while final 2025 figures will determine whether Ocean County again tops the state in traffic fatalities.

Ocean County’s road deaths rose even as New Jersey recorded a 15 percent statewide drop in fatalities for 2025.

By town
Toms River – 19
Lakewood – 10
Manchester – 5
Jackson – 5
Barnegat -3
Brick – 2
Lacey – 2
Berkeley – 2

Municipality Date Time Location Fatalities
Brick Twsp 12/29/2025 1656 State Highway 88 1D
Lacey Twsp 12/21/2025 0606 Garden State Parkway MP 73.2 1D
Barnegat Twsp 12/20/2025 1544 County 10 1D
Jackson Twsp 12/12/2025 1403 County 571 1D
Berkeley Twsp 12/08/2025 1708 County 530 1D,1P
Lakewood Twsp 11/30/2025 0754 County 526 1T
Toms River 11/21/2025 0854 County 571 1D
Toms River 11/20/2025 1730 State Highway 37 1T
Little Egg Harbor T 11/05/2025 0402 Center St 1T
Toms River 10/26/2025 1834 State Highway 37 1D,1T
Jackson Twsp 10/08/2025 1755 County 527 1D
Stafford Twsp 09/30/2025 0130 State Highway 72 1D
Barnegat Twsp 09/15/2025 0103 County 554 1T
Toms River 09/13/2025 2000 County 549 (Spur (County Routes Only)) 1T
Toms River 09/11/2025 2046 Hooper Ave 1D,1P
Lakewood Twsp 09/06/2025 0953 Shorrock St 1D
Toms River 08/29/2025 0702 Garden State Parkway 1D
Jackson Twsp 08/23/2025 0627 Metedeconk Tr 1D
Lacey Twsp 08/11/2025 2224 State Highway 9 1T
Manchester Twsp 08/11/2025 0817 State Highway 70 1P
Plumsted Twsp 08/10/2025 1147 County 537 1D
Lakewood Twsp 08/05/2025 1700 Garden State Parkway MP 89.9 1D
Toms River 07/31/2025 0100 State Highway 9 1T
Lakewood Twsp 07/26/2025 2318 Cross St 1D,1P
Manchester Twsp 07/24/2025 2030 State Highway 37 1D
Lakewood Twsp 06/30/2025 2258 State Highway 70 1T
Toms River 06/20/2025 1700 N. Maple Ave 1T
Manchester Twsp 06/19/2025 1426 County 539 MP 26.5 1D
Tuckerton Boro 06/12/2025 1316 State Highway 9 MP 63.05 1D
South Toms River Bo 06/07/2025 0351 Colgate Dr 1T
Toms River 05/31/2025 0041 County 631 1D
Plumsted Twsp 05/30/2025 2102 Magnolia Ave 1T
Lakewood Twsp 05/25/2025 0438 Garden State Parkway 1D
Toms River 05/24/2025 2111 County 549 1T
Toms River 05/24/2025 1924 State Highway 37 1D
Jackson Twsp 05/23/2025 0439 County 639 1D,2P
Lakewood Twsp 05/13/2025 0240 County 528 MP 33.5 1P
Toms River 05/09/2025 2224 State Highway 70 1B
Manchester Twsp 04/28/2025 1410 Pasadena Rd 1D
Manchester Twsp 04/19/2025 1522 State Highway 37 1D
Jackson Twsp 04/10/2025 1359 County 571 1D,1P
Lakewood Twsp 03/20/2025 0346 State Highway 70 1D
Barnegat Light Boro 03/12/2025 1056 County 554 1D
Toms River 03/09/2025 1134 Garden State Parkway MP 82.8 1D
Toms River 03/07/2025 2258 State Highway 37 1D,1P
Lakewood Twsp 03/07/2025 0551 State Highway 70 1D
Toms River 02/18/2025 1855 County 571 2T
Toms River 02/09/2025 1006 County 571 MP 6.64 1D
Toms River 02/04/2025 2102 State Highway 37 1T
Lakehurst Boro 02/04/2025 1044 State Highway 37 1D
Berkeley Twsp 01/20/2025 1203 County 621 1P
Brick Twsp 01/13/2025 1037 State Highway 88 MP 7.46 1D
Toms River 01/12/2025 1743 State Highway 166 MP 2.68 1T
Accident Count: 53 County Totals: 62
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