Washington, D.C
Report: Spike in crashes, traffic deaths in DC region with lifting of COVID restrictions – WTOP News
New numbers for 2020 and 2021 confirmed a troubling spike in crashes, visitors accidents and visitors deaths throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia, in keeping with a report.
We’re getting our first take a look at complete visitors information from 2020 and 2021, when People went by means of COVID-19 restrictions for the primary time after which slowly reemerged, getting again onto the roads.
The numbers confirmed a troubling spike in crashes, visitors accidents and visitors deaths throughout the D.C. area, in keeping with a report compiled by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, a nonprofit made up of elected officers in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
There have been almost 79,000 crashes within the area in 2021, which was a 19% improve from 2020.
Crashes have been up 18% in D.C., almost 15% in Montgomery County, Maryland, and 14% in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Site visitors accidents throughout the area rose by greater than 20%, the report confirmed.
“It is a massive and complicated drawback, and there’s nobody silver bullet,” stated Andrew Meese, a transportation planner with the council of governments.
The will increase in visitors deaths have been much more hanging in some areas.
For instance, Prince William County, Virginia, noticed 32 visitors deaths in 2021, marking an almost 78% improve from the 18 visitors deaths recorded within the county in 2020.
Site visitors deaths rose 17% general throughout the area, which was above the ten% improve that was seen nationally over the identical time period.
Fairfax County noticed a 35% improve in visitors deaths, and there was a 17% improve in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
“Our regional companions wish to see the numbers taking place, and that improve definitely doesn’t do this,” Meese stated. “It isn’t assembly the aspirations.”
Beforehand, the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration launched a report displaying {that a} bigger share of drivers engaged in dangerous behaviors over the course of 2020.
Common speeds elevated on city and rural roads and seat belt use declined, in keeping with the report.
The NHTSA report urged drivers to put on their seat belts, obey the velocity restrict and drive sober to reverse that “horrible development.”