Elderly Lakewood Woman Killed In Head-On Collision On Rt 70

PHOTOS: Authorities are investigating a fatal head-on collision which left an elderly Lakewood woman dead, Toms River Chief Michael Mastronardy tells TLS. At about 1:18 PM, Marie Smith, 77, of Lakewood, was driving westbound on Route 70 and attempted to make a left turn onto Massachusetts Avenue southbound, when she collided head-on with a driver going eastbound.

Smith was transported to Kimball Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The driver of the van, Jenna H., 24, of Toms River, was transported to Kimball Medical Center in unknown condition.

Toms River Traffic and Safety Officers Frank Palino and Terry Warren are investigating the fatal accident along with the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and the Ocean County  Prosecutor’s Office.

Anyone who witnessed the Wednesday afternoon accident are requested to call Toms River Police Traffic Safety at 349-0150. TLS.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. There should be mandatory retesting to renew your drivers license after a certain age. Its statistically proven that as you age, your senses and coordination start to deteriorate.

  2. People relate certain diseases with age. It’s a known fact as we age we loose certain brain functions. Not everyone is the same. Some do it quick and faster than others. Some just advance into it at the pace of a turtle. However, there is no way a local driver, whom traveled these highways and local roads daily, cannot distinguish or comprehend “NO TURN ON RED” or “NO LEFT TURN” Young and old seem to ignore those signs. BUT to make a left turn off a major busy highway such as route 70 is inviting death to their door.

    I also think that retesting should be made for everyone not just the elderly. Their are many younger incompetents driving out there too.

  3. #3 the intersection where the accident occured is on a straight road that you can see all the way down past Whitesville Rd. The elderly woman turned in the path of an incoming minivan while road conditions and visibility were good. Sounds like she either didn’t see the minivan (failing eyesight?) or didnt react quick enough to hurry across the intersection or to stop to avoid the collision (poor depth perception?) Don’t get angry when you don’t like the truth. It has been proven that your senses and coordination start to deteriorate as you age.

  4. to #1: re-testing will never happen as long as seniors vote. Almost no group has a more powerful lobby and the issue of driver re-testing is one of their hottest hot button issues.
    Condolences to the family.

  5. First of all I’m sorry to hear of the Smith family’s loss. My condolences.

    @ #3
    Actually this intersection has a relatively low accident rate and is well engineered. The accidents that occur here are more often then not driver error. So yes its quite possible it was age that played a factor, maybe it wasn’t the 77 year old though maybe it was the 21 year olds fault. However as #1 stated it is statistically proven that as you age, your senses and coordination start to deteriorate. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have all ages retested periodically but more so in your young and old age.

  6. I passed by this accident and what I saw was two cars totaled, this is a bad intersection, and age does not have anything to do with this, My father may he rest in peace was 97years young and he still drove. so age has nothing to do with it.

Comments are closed.