Police in Florence Township, New Jersey, have launched an investigation following a road accident on Interstate 295 that killed two Bangladeshi nationals — including a child — and injured two others. The victims include a 36-year-old man and his 8-year-old daughter, both of Bangladeshi origin.
According to police, the accident occurred at approximately 10:17 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. At the time, a Hyundai Santa Fe and a Hyundai Tucson were both traveling northbound near milepost 50.6 on I-295. The Santa Fe struck a guardrail on the right side of the road.
The impact caused the Santa Fe to veer back onto the roadway and collide with the Tucson. Both vehicles then ran off the road and crashed into multiple trees.
The crash resulted in the deaths of the Tucson’s driver, 36-year-old Bangladeshi man Sharaf Uddin, and his 8-year-old daughter Ramisha. However, police have not yet officially confirmed the identities.
A 26-year-old woman, who was also a passenger in the Tucson, sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized. The driver of the Santa Fe, a 29-year-old woman from Miami, Florida, was also seriously injured. As the investigation is ongoing, no further information has been released.
Sadly, thousands of people in New Jersey are killed or injured in multi-vehicle crashes each year despite widespread safe driving campaigns and the efforts of governments, manufacturers, and traffic safety experts. Reports indicate that over 276,000 traffic accidents occurred in New Jersey in a recent year alone, resulting in nearly 60,000 injuries.
Every driver has a legal responsibility to operate their vehicle safely and to avoid endangering the lives of others on the road. Unfortunately, not all drivers uphold this responsibility. Negligence and carelessness often lead to fatal accidents. Despite improvements in car and road safety, accident rates continue to rise, posing a serious risk to all motorists.