In cities across the country, pedestrians must use caution when crossing streets and walking along sidewalks. Just as much, drivers must maintain a keen awareness of surroundings, including those on foot. New Jersey residents have the right to feel safe when travelling, no matter the mode of transportation, and part of this safety includes protection from potentially hazardous drivers.

Just earlier this week, USA Today reported on a pedestrian accident that resulted in the death of a 52-year-old Brick resident. According to the report, the man had been walking around the area of Dorado Plaza when a 2011 Camry struck him. The pedestrian had simply been trying to cross the road. Although many pedestrian incidents with vehicles involve an intoxicated or distracted driver, the driver of this accident had allegedly been sober. At current, it is unclear whether the driver will face fines or charges.

When New Jersey residents make sure their home is free of hazards, they may not consider whether their furniture is safe. However, some pieces of furniture can harm children if the furniture is not securely anchored, and sometimes TVs present a hazard to children as well. It is important for people to make sure their furniture does not tip over.

Young children can easily be harmed if they try to climb furniture which is not properly anchored to a wall. HealthyChildren.org says that 64 percent of the children who are hurt after furniture tips over are younger than five. Boys are most susceptible to these injuries, as statistics indicate that 61 percent of wounds caused by tip-overs are incurred by boys. Some people may think that only large TVs can harm young children. However, small TVs may present more of a danger to toddlers, as some people sometimes put smaller TVs on top of dressers and do not always properly secure them. The wounds children can receive from furniture and TV tip-overs can sometimes be severe. A toddler typically sustains injuries to his or her neck and head in 63 percent of these incidents, while 37 percent of children receive lacerations.

You may already be aware that construction is a dangerous industry to work for. However, what if you are minding your own business walking or driving past a construction site in New Jersey? It may interest you to find out that being in the wrong place at the wrong time near roadwork or a new building site may be dangerous for you, an innocent bystander.

FindLaw explains that there are numerous common accidents that endanger people at construction sites. These include falling, electrocution, being caught in between objects or machinery or being struck by objects. The latter is especially true for those who do not work in construction but might be near a worksite. For example, you could be walking down a sidewalk next to a building being renovated and get hit on the head by a falling plank. You could also trip over construction debris on the walkway or fall into an excavation that was not adequately blocked off. As a driver, your vehicle might get hit by falling objects from the construction site, or you could be in an accident with a construction vehicle.

Many New Jersey drivers own small cars that cause them and their passengers to ride at eye level with the wheels of the large trucks with which they share the roads and highways. Crashing into the back or side of one of these high-riding trailers invariably results in serious injuries, if not death, for the car’s occupants.

As reported by Forbes, cars that rear-end semis often do not stop at the moment of impact. Instead, they keep going, sliding underneath the trailer while shearing off their roofs and hoods in the process. The car’s occupants, particularly the driver and front seat passenger, are at grave risk for death by decapitation.