Delaware seeing sobering trend in traffic-related fatalities

After I noticed I had a column due the day after Thanksgiving, I used to be serious about writing one thing enjoyable – an area baker making tons of pies for the vacation; going out to a turkey farm; seeing what number of gallons of Lewes Dairy eggnog are anticipated to be bought within the coming month.

Then I attended the Rehoboth Seaside-Dewey Seaside Chamber of Commerce’s month-to-month luncheon Nov. 16. DART CEO John Sisson was there recapping the season and offering a have a look at future choices for native public transportation. Throughout one portion of his presentation, he talked about how security is a essential a part of the equation for DART. Then, he mentioned, with slightly greater than a month to go, there had been extra traffic-related fatalities in Delaware this 12 months than final 12 months, and that final 12 months was a 15-year excessive.

That assertion struck me, so I did slightly digging. What I discovered was that whereas the state hadn’t handed final 12 months’s complete but, it seems it will likely be handed earlier than the tip of the 12 months. In keeping with data on the state’s Workplace of Freeway Security web site, by way of Nov. 16, there had been 138 traffic-related deaths this 12 months. The web site does not have the entire variety of deaths from final 12 months, however that quantity is out there by way of the Delaware State Police 2021 annual site visitors statistics. That report says, in 2021, there have been 135 deadly crashes leading to 139 fatalities.

The state police report additionally exhibits that within the final 20 years, 2003 is the very best, with 138 deadly crashes and 148 fatalities. It doesn’t seem the state will break the doubtful all-time excessive of 165 fatalities with 147 deadly crashes in 1988.

Jason Coleman, Workplace of Freeway Security spokesperson, mentioned there’s a disaster on our roadways and lack of life is unacceptable.

“This pattern is sobering, however much more sobering is that these fatalities contain members of our group and have a long-lasting affect on our state,” he mentioned. “Much more disheartening is that this isn’t particular to Delaware, as states inside our area and nationally are having related will increase.”

No person desires to be the particular person predicting extra site visitors deaths, however Coleman did say the tip of the 12 months usually sees a spike in site visitors crashes and fatalities.

Some elements embrace elevated site visitors throughout the vacation journey season; shorter sunlight hours, rising hazard for pedestrians as they’re troublesome to see in darkish areas; extra driver distraction; and extra impaired drivers, Coleman mentioned.

Coleman mentioned the OHS can be conducting its Secure Household Vacation Marketing campaign over the approaching weeks, which inspires drivers to decelerate, put the telephone down and buckle up. It additionally encourages individuals to plan forward for a sober experience, and reminds motorists and pedestrians that they need to be looking out for one another, he mentioned.

“Along with paid media and public outreach and training to advertise these messages, OHS is funding elevated site visitors enforcement statewide,” mentioned Coleman.

Coleman mentioned OHS has put its full consideration on eliminating severe harm and dying from site visitors crashes, however it will probably’t do the job alone.

“Everybody has a task to play,” mentioned Coleman. “We want drivers to comply with secure driving behaviors and pedestrians to comply with secure strolling behaviors.”

I don’t know, of us. Mainly, over the approaching month, uncontrollable issues are going to occur and there are going to be a lot of alternatives for individuals to make poor driving-related choices. As a collective, let’s attempt to reduce the variety of instances these two issues cross paths.

Small adjustments could make a distinction

There are a variety of large street development tasks slated to happen within the coming years round right here. When accomplished, the roads must be higher fitted to as we speak’s site visitors load, which in flip ought to make them safer. Nonetheless, within the meantime, small adjustments could make a distinction too.

For instance, I drive by way of the intersection of Cave Neck, Hudson and Sweetbriar roads between Lewes and Milton twice every day. Roughly two months in the past, the Delaware Division of Transportation turned the Cave Neck and Hudson roads intersection right into a four-way cease to handle ongoing issues of safety. The cease indicators are a short lived repair – DelDOT is presently evaluating choices for a everlasting resolution that might embrace a site visitors gentle or roundabout.

Am I nonetheless getting used to the cease indicators? Sure. Are there instances when there are 4 drivers observing one another ready for one of many others to make the primary transfer? Undoubtedly. However that’s OK, as a result of the protection measure seems to be working. In an e mail Nov. 18, Brittany Klecan, DelDOT spokesperson, mentioned within the two months since these cease indicators have been put in, DelDOT’s crash reporting system doesn’t present any crashes have occurred at that intersection.

Joke of the Week:

Admittedly, this column is the alternative of light-hearted and enjoyable. That mentioned, I get pleasure from vacation get together as a lot as the subsequent particular person, in order that’s why I’m utilizing Gary’s party-related joke. As all the time, ship joke submissions to cflood@capegazette.com.

Q: Why is the mushroom invited to all of the events?

A: As a result of he’s a fungi.