Traffic fatalities up 14% in N.J.

Statewide, 691 people died in 654 crashes in 2024, according to unofficial statistics from the New Jersey State Police.

The number of fatalities rose 14 percent from 606 in 2023 and was similar to the 689 fatalities in 2022.

In West Milford, three people died on roads last year: two pedestrians and one motorcyclist.

• Mod Khader, 73, of Lincoln Park, was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing Route 23 South on Sept. 10.

• Sean McClinton, 23, of Riverdale was fatally injured Aug. 31 when his motorcycle hit a guardrail on East Shore Road and he was thrown off.

• A pedestrian died April 13 on Echo Lake Road. No details were available.

In Passaic County, the largest number of traffic fatalities was in Paterson, with eight, followed Passaic with six, Wayne with five and Clifton with four. Hawthorne had two, and Ringwood, Pompton Lakes and Totowa each had one.

Statewide, 222 pedestrians were killed in accidents last year, up 30 percent from 171 in 2023 and up 16 percent from 191 in 2022.

Twenty-five cyclists were killed statewide in 2024 compared with 27 in 2023 and 16 in 2022.

Among the drivers killed in crashes, the largest number, 72, were age 50-64.

The largest number of passengers killed, 18, were age 16 or younger.

Among cyclists killed, the largest number, 8, were age 50-64.

Of the pedestrian fatalities, 59 were ages 50-64 and the same number were ages 65-79.

Middlesex County had the largest number of traffic deaths, 62, while the lowest number, 9, occurred in both Cape May and Hunterdon counties.

The highest number of pedestrian deaths, 27, occurred in Essex County, while Cape May and Salem counties had one each.