The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently released a report claiming to show that Pennsylvania roads are getting much safer. The PennDOT emphasized that while numbers are lower, each number stands for one person and those people’s lives are still mourned every day by family and loved ones.
Decrease in Car Crash Fatalities
The report shows that 1,291 people were killed in car accidents in Pennsylvania in 2011. This is 33 fewer people than 2010 and the second lowest number every recorded by the PennDOT. The lowest ever was 1,256 deaths in 2009.
Several factors contributed to the decrease in car crash fatalities. There were fewer drunk driving accidents in 2011 with the number falling from 417 to 379. Cross-median crashes substantially decreased from 84 crashes in 2010 to 48 in 2011. There were fewer crashes involving bicyclists and motorcyclists as well.
In a few areas, fatalities increased. Six people died in crashes involving trolleys and trains last year, but in 2010, only one person died. Sadly, accidents in which 16-year-olds were involved increased by 10 people in 2011, reaching 29 deaths.
Dangerous Behaviors Still Prevalent:
There are many situations every day where drivers are only giving 20 percent of their attention to the road. These people focus the majority of their attention on something else. This might be changing the radio station or texting a friend. Regardless of the activity, drivers need to make sure they keep their attention on the road to assure the roads are safe for everyone.
Source: Daily Times, “Travelogue: Pennsylvania roads are getting safer,” Jeff Wolfe, March 18, 2012