ROANOKE, Va. – As holiday traffic builds on the roads, law enforcement worries about a rise in accidents, or worse: deaths.
This year, the Commonwealth saw a spike in fatal speed crashes.
There have been more speed-related deaths this year to date compared to all of 2019.
A state police trooper said the most common reason people get into crashes is that they are not paying attention to the road or their speedometer.
“The biggest thought most people have is that it’s not going to be me,” State Trooper J.P. Fix said. “But when in fact it could be, even in a minor situation.”
Fix also advises people to think ahead if they are going to be drinking as drunk-driving crashes tend to increase around this time of year.
Every year during the holidays, there is an increase in drunk-driving related fatalities and crashes.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in December 2018, there were 839 lives lost in drunk-driving crashes nationwide. Of the 839 deaths, 285 occurred during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period.
Therefore, Fix suggests getting a designated driver or opting for a different form of public transportation when traveling.