Northern New Jersey is a completely different place in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. For many individuals, what was once the simplest of tasks has become a bit tougher. Over the past week and into the weekend, distracted driving seemed like a far off concept for many who could not even charge their cellphone in their own house.

Immediately after Sandy left the area, one dad said that it took several days to even get a cup of coffee. It seemed trivial, but the only place that was open was Dunkin Donuts. “We waited 25 minutes” to get a single cup, said the dad. Dining in was barely an option. Refrigerators couldn’t stay cool without power and he and his family moved what they could into a cooler — but it doesn’t mean that they had the power to even cook much of it.

The Salvation Army quickly became the new meeting place for many. It was where power was available to charge cellphones and other devices that connect residents with family out of the area. Power slowly began coming back on, but residents couldn’t get back to work without public transportation — something many commuters rely on in the area.

Others who were stranded away from their homes tried to think about how they would make it back. One man said that he planned to get a ride in a car, then he would see if he could get on the ferry and once he got off, he could walk across the Williamsburg Bridge to his residence in Brooklyn. “I think I’m going to get very creative,” he said.

For others, they are simply hoping that all the trucks carrying aid, supplies, tools and even volunteers to help rebuild what was broken make it safely to where they are needed. Even one accident could slow recovery.

Source: USA Today, “Sandy’s devastation weighs heavy in northern New Jersey,” Charisse Jones, Oct. 31, 2012

Traveling across and out of New Jersey is necessary for residents to get their lives back to normal after the storm. Our New Jersey Highway Accidents page provides information to individuals should an accident hinder this goal.