SOMERVILLE, N.J. – Fatal crashes in Somerset County have already surpassed last year’s total with four months remaining in 2026, prompting county prosecutors to warn drivers about a troubling rise in deaths on local roads.
Sixteen fatal crashes killed 16 drivers, passengers, pedestrians and motorcyclists through Aug. 31, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. During all of 2025, the county recorded 14 fatal crashes and 14 deaths.
Half of 2026 Fatal Crashes Have Led to Criminal Charges
The increase is not simply a matter of two additional crashes. Prosecutors said eight of Somerset County’s 16 fatal crashes this year — exactly half — have resulted in criminal charges against drivers involving what the office described as risky behavior and poor decisions behind the wheel.
“These crashes were preventable,” the Prosecutor’s Office said. “It is our goal to reverse this trend and reduce serious and fatal crashes.”
Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald is now urging drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians to reconsider the decisions they make on county roads.
“Safe driving is a choice that can save a life,” the Prosecutor’s Office said.
The warning comes as law enforcement agencies across New Jersey continue to focus on speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving and pedestrian safety as factors that can turn routine trips into serious or deadly crashes.
Prosecutor’s Office Launching Weekly Traffic Safety Push
Rather than issue a one-time warning, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office plans to highlight traffic laws and driving safety information each week through its social media accounts.
Among the behaviors being emphasized are obeying speed limits and traffic signals, stopping at stop signs and yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks.
Pedestrians are also being urged to cross only where permitted and not assume approaching drivers can see them, particularly after dark.
The office is asking people who plan to drink alcohol or use recreational drugs to arrange a sober driver or rideshare rather than get behind the wheel.
Distracted driving is another focus. Prosecutors said sending or reading a text can take a driver’s eyes off the road for four to six seconds.
“Put the phone down,” the office said. “Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel and your mind on the task of driving.”
The Prosecutor’s Office also cited data stating that cellphone users are 5.36 times more likely to become involved in a crash and that the impairment associated with talking on a cellphone can be comparable to driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08%.
Fatal Crash Toll Reaches 16 Before September
The county’s numbers show how quickly the situation changed from one year to the next.
Somerset County recorded 14 fatal crashes during the entire 2025 calendar year. By the end of August 2026, the county had already recorded 16, putting this year’s total above last year’s with September through December still remaining.
McDonald and Somerset County Chief of County Detectives Meredith McKay said all road users have a role in reducing that toll, including people traveling by car, motorcycle, bicycle or on foot.
The county’s weekly safety campaign will continue as authorities work to reverse the increase in deadly crashes.