Roadway fatalities in Massachusetts soared in 2021 to the very best degree in additional than a decade, and the development continues to go within the flawed path almost midway by 2022.
Preliminary information by June 15 tally 172 deaths on Bay State roads, 10 greater than throughout the identical span final 12 months, a Department of Transportation spokesperson mentioned Wednesday. The spokesperson burdened that the year-to-date depend is “likely underreported due to continuing investigations” and anticipated to climb as extra data turns into obtainable.
“In 2021, Massachusetts sadly had more than 400 roadway deaths. This is the highest amount in more than 11 years and a 22 percent increase from 2020,” Transportation Secretary Jamey Tesler mentioned throughout a Department of Transportation board assembly. “Preliminary numbers to date this year show an increase compared with the same period before, and motorcycle deaths are at a 25-year high.”
State transportation and public security officers have been working to extend consciousness concerning the dire situations and to advertise seatbelt use, bike consciousness and secure speeds.
For MassDOT board member Dean Mazzarella, officers must do much more. Mazzarella chimed in on the finish of Wednesday’s assembly and described seeing “people driving at 90 and 100 miles an hour and shifting lanes.”
“The speeds that people are traveling and the aggressiveness — and I realize distracted driving is responsible for a lot of accidents — but I’ve never seen anything like this, and I’m not sure if it’s a result of the pandemic,” Mazzarella mentioned. “I don’t know the reasoning for it, aggressive driving that’s putting other people’s safety at risk.”
“Your concerns are reflected also in what we’re seeing in the data,” Tesler replied. “We’re exploring every avenue we can to bring awareness, change behavior, and remind drivers.”
– Chris Lisinski / SHNS
Source: www.bostonherald.com”