Two Totowa junctions, two different control questions
The northerly approach means the approach on the north side of the junction; keep that source label rather than substituting a direction from memory. If the truck moved toward its reserved turn lane while alongside you, that positioning deserves its own account before the cornering movement.
| Junction | Lane reservation in Section 398-62 | Separate signal question |
|---|---|---|
| Union Boulevard at Bogert | Northerly approach: right lane for right turns; southerly approach: left lane for left turns. | Red-turn restriction has school/children conditions in a separate schedule. |
| Union Boulevard at Crews | The same two approach-lane reservations. | Do not infer the driver's signal from the lane arrow. |
| Positioning before the turn | Identify where the truck moved sideways relative to your car. | Lane entry and the later turn may be separate conflicts. |
Source check: October 13, 2026. Totowa Sections 398-61 and 398-62.
Did the truck move into the turn lane beside you?
If contact began while the truck changed position before the junction, start the account there. Explain whether your car was already beside the truck, approaching from behind or in a different lane. State what you saw the truck's front, body or trailer do as it moved.
A hypothetical truck begins moving toward a turn-only lane while a car already occupies the space beside it. Compare that with a truck already in its lane that makes contact later during the turn itself. These are illustrations, not reported Totowa cases. They involve different timing and available views.
If your car was changing lanes too, describe your movement. A review should assess both vehicles' paths rather than assuming the truck's intended turn or the car's smaller size decides the issue. If the driver used a signal, explain when you noticed it instead of treating it as proof that the neighboring space was clear.
Contact after the cab begins turning
The cab can begin a turn while another part of the truck remains beside your car. If you saw the front clear but felt contact from a trailing part, describe that timing. Identify whether the vehicle was a rigid delivery truck or had a separate trailer, if you know.
A scrape near your door and damage at a rear corner are different observations. Neither supplies a complete reconstruction by itself. Keep photographs of the vehicles as a whole and close views of the contact areas so someone can compare the damage with the described positions.
Do not assume a blind spot simply because the vehicle was large. Describe whether you could see mirrors, how long you had been alongside and what you observed before the turn. Questions about visibility and the path of the vehicle require more than the general statement that trucks turn wide.
Keep the local rule separate from the disputed movement
For Bogert, the separate red-turn table describes a right turn during school hours when children are present between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Crews lists all turns during school hours when children are present. Those conditions do not create time limits on the separate lane reservation. The actual signal and posted controls remain collision-date facts.
Care and the next useful conversation
Call 911 for an emergency or an unsafe scene. Seek medical advice for injuries and follow the treating clinician’s instructions. Do not stop on an active road or ramp to reconstruct a collision.
For treatment payments, work losses, coverage and proposed releases, use the focused guides: New Jersey truck accident help; Describing several vehicle impacts.