Multi-Car Accident at Neptune Township Wawa Gas Station
A frightening multi-car accident outside a Wawa in Neptune Township left one person with minor injuries and caused fears of a potential gas fire or explosion.
The accident occurred around 9:00 a.m. at the Wawa located at the intersection of Route 33 and Route 35 in Neptune, New Jersey. An SUV was traveling eastbound on Route 33 and attempted to merge into the same lane as another vehicle on the highway. The driver of the SUV reportedly swerved out of the way of the other car and left the roadway. According to media reports, the SUV passed over a landscaped area in front of the Wawa, hopped a curb, and then slammed into four cars that were waiting to use the gas pumps at the Wawa station. A total of five cars were involved in the crash, with most of the cars being pushed into the gas pumps upon impact with the out-of-control SUV.
One person sustained injuries in the crash. Emergency medical responders transported the victim via ambulance to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City. Doctors at the Neptune hospital treated the victim for her accident-related injuries and later listed her in stable condition.
Fortunately, the collision did not cause any gas to leak from the pumps. However, there was still concern that the pumps may have been damaged, which would have posed serious risks to customers and workers at the Wawa. As a result, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management sent workers to the scene to take a closer look and to make sure that the gas station was still safe for operation. Additionally, Office of Emergency Management workers also cleaned up fluid that spilled from some of the motor vehicles involved in the accident.
Premises Liability Law in New Jersey
In most car accident cases, a negligent motorist is liable for the damages caused by the collision. When there is more than one negligent motorist involved in an auto accident, liability can attach to multiple people. In this instance, it remains unclear whether the driver of the SUV, another motorist on the highway, or the owner of the premises was at fault for the multi-vehicle crash.
Wawa could potentially be held responsible under a premises liability theory of law if barriers or other traffic control devices were absent and contributed to the events in question. Premises liability is a complicated area of law and is based on the idea that a property owner has a legal duty to keep site visitors safe and free from injury. The motorists who had parked their cars at the Wawa station had a reasonable expectation that they would be protected against injury or damage to their vehicles while waiting in line to use the gas pumps. If the property owners could have done more to shield the motorists from being struck by a vehicle that left the roadway, there is always the chance that the victims could file personal injury claims against Wawa.
For more information, read the NJ.com article, “1 Injured in 5-Car Crash at Wawa Gas Station Pumps.”
If you were injured in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, or if you sustained injuries while visiting someone else’s property, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney immediately. New Jersey personal injury victims have been relying upon the expertise of lawyers at Drazin and Warshaw, P.C. for more than 70 years. We have vast experience helping victims in these types of cases. Contact us anytime to schedule a free initial consultation about your case.
