Editorial: Drivers need to slow down, wear their seatbelts and arrive alive
Labor Day weekend marks the traditional end of summer, and millions of Americans are expected to take full advantage by hitting the highways for a brief vacation. Hampton Roads residents doing the same should expect plenty of congestion on the roadways, and should have plenty of patience as they travel.
That, unfortunately, is in short supply behind the wheel these days, as are good judgment, caution and restraint. The latest traffic fatality numbers confirm Virginia motorists must exercise more of each on the commonwealth’s roads, recognizing they could decide whether they arrive safely at their chosen destinations — or not at all.
In order to obtain a driver’s license in Virginia, most residents need to demonstrate a knowledge of road safety and successfully complete an education course that includes a test of skills behind the wheel.
These requirements help ensure a baseline aptitude for what’s expected of drivers on state roads. One wonders, then, why so many motorists in Virginia fail to demonstrate any of that knowledge when operating their vehicles.
We’ve all seen it: reckless driving, distracted driving (usually because of a cellphone), excessive speeding, failure to signal, following too closely, dangerous and aggressive driving, and the list goes on.
All of these reflect poor judgment by the driver, but they also put others at considerable risk. Cars aren’t playthings; they can be incredibly dangerous and even deadly if not operated with the requisite caution, attentiveness and consideration of others sharing the road.
This month, the Virginia Crime Commission released its annual report about motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian fatalities, covering incidents that occurred between 2017 and 2022. The figures help illustrate the poor behavior on state roadways and areas in which Virginia drivers need to do better.
Some 5,309 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents during that six-year period: 4,464 (84%) drivers or passengers, 771 (15%) pedestrians and 74 (1%) bicyclists. While the number of crashes is down — there were 131,848 in 2018 and 122,434 in 2022 — the number of fatalities increased by 19% from 2017 to 2022.
The report found increases in the causes of death, as well: “a 22% increase in unrestrained fatalities, 39% in speed-related fatalities, and 10% increase in alcohol-related fatalities in 2022 as compared to 2017.”
It’s well known — or, at least, it should be well known — that wearing a seat belt is the easiest way to protect yourself in a vehicle. Drivers should buckle in and make sure everyone else in their car does the same. The jump in unrestrained deaths is almost inexplicable, but the data tells the story.
Similarly, drinking before driving puts everyone on the road at risk. There are countless tales of inebriated drivers escaping terrible accidents that they caused through their thoughtlessness, while others involved weren’t so fortunate. It’s a simple rule: If you’re drinking, designate a driver or find another way home.
The speed-related fatalities are a vexing problem, one that’s all too familiar on roads in our area, especially on Interstates 64 and 264. Highways aren’t a racetrack, despite what some appear to believe, and people have a far greater likelihood of surviving a crash at slower speeds than when they are driving well above the speed limit.
There are two parts of road safety: drivers’ habits and enforcement of the laws. The VCC report notes that law enforcement are issuing fewer traffic tickets, largely due to staffing shortages in the wake of the COVID pandemic and, according to Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Director Dana Schrad, the racial justice protests in 2020.
But it shouldn’t take flashing blue lights and hefty fines for motorists to exhibit good behavior on the Virginia roads. Drivers need only demonstrate the skills and knowledge that earned them a license to begin with. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
The alternative could well be, not a date in court, but months spent recovering from injuries sustained in an accident — and that’s if you’re lucky enough to survive it.
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