Crashed on 78 in New Jersey? Your next steps, from Phillipsburg to Jersey City

Who has my police report for an accident on 78?

The card the officer gave you tells you who wrote the report. If it names Perryville, Somerville or Newark, your report is with the State Police.

For those, order on the NJ.gov crash report site and use the option for roads with no tolls. It costs $13. Have the case number from the card ready.

Hurt in Bayonne or Jersey City? There, your report may come from a different police agency, not the State Police.

Ask the agency printed on your slip. Our report guide shows where to ask, and reading your report explains the codes on it.

Was it at the Delaware, near Phillipsburg or Easton?

Driving west, you cross the Delaware into Pennsylvania on the 78 toll bridge right past Phillipsburg, south of Easton. Route 22 has its own bridge into Easton close by, so check which one you were on.

If you crashed on the Pennsylvania side, it counts as a Pennsylvania accident. If your slip names Pennsylvania police, ask them for your report.

Then Pennsylvania law and Pennsylvania deadlines decide what happens next, not New Jersey's. If a New Jersey law firm turns you away for this reason, it is not about you or your injuries.

Talk to a lawyer who works in Pennsylvania, and ask your own car insurance company what your policy covers there. Our guide explains what changes for you, as a NJ driver, after a crash in another state.

I hit a deer on 78 in Hunterdon or Warren. Who pays?

If you drive the western end of 78, out in Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren, deer are the danger to watch for. If you hit one, you are not alone: far more accidents start with a deer out there than near Newark.

If you were hurt, your PIP pays your doctors even when no other driver was involved. Our guide to hitting a deer in NJ covers who to call and who pays for the car.

Was it 78 or Route 22?

Through Union, Somerset and Hunterdon, Route 22 runs close to 78, and the two meet at ramps and merges. If you crashed near one of these spots, you may not be sure which road you were on.

That matters, because it tells you who has your report. On 78, a state trooper usually writes it. On Route 22, the town police write almost every report, so you would ask the town.

Check the slip before you order anything. If it was Route 22, read our Route 22 accident page instead.

Were you sideswiped where lanes join? That happens a lot on 78. If a car came into your lane, write down the nearby ramp or exit while you still remember it.

Hurt on 78 near Newark Airport or the port?

Hurt in the east, around Union Township, Newark or Jersey City? You are far from alone: the stretch from Springfield to Jersey City is where 78 hurts the most people.

Near Newark Airport, where 78 meets the Turnpike, you share the road with trucks going to and from the airport and the port.

If a truck hit you in Newark, our Essex County truck accident guide covers what to get from the truck and who pays.

Stopped on the shoulder of 78, especially at night

If your car stops on 78, especially at night, you are in real danger. Many of the people who died on 78 were outside a car, or in a car hit while it sat still. Most deadly accidents on 78 happen after dark, so take extra care if you stop at night.

So if you break down or crash:

• Pull as far right as you can and put your four-ways on.
• Get out only if it is safe, on the side away from traffic.
• Wait behind the guard rail, away from your car.

Were you out of the car when you got hit? Then your insurance may treat you as a pedestrian (a person on foot), which can change who pays. See who pays when a car hits you while walking.

Was someone you love hurt or killed on 78?

If you lost someone, our guide for families after a death takes it one step at a time. If you are trying to learn what happened, the State Police post a list of fatal accidents.