What is really killing motorists on Route 3?

Next week we will all get to find out what VDOT recommends to make Route 3 safer.  Some of the ideas they have suggested so far to reduce the number of serious auto accidents are rumble strips in the center of the road, enhanced warning signs, and flashing lights.  But, will changes like this really make a difference?

VDOT has indicated that the road isn’t the problem, it’s the drivers.  According to VDOT, preliminary study data has shown that 85 percent of drivers on Route 3 exceed the 55 mph speed limit.  In addition, the most recent fatal accident was caused by an allegedly intoxicated driver who drifted into the wrong lane.

Distracted drivers and aggressive drivers are also becoming more of a problem on Virginia roads.  There is only so much that can be done to the roads themselves to keep us safe from this kind of driver behavior.  Ultimately, something needs to be done to better educate drivers about the consequences of their actions – and perhaps the punishments for bad or dangerous driving need to be harsher.

The results released next week should be interesting.  And this is an important study, because Route 3 is a major link between Culpeper and Fredericksburg.  Some citizens have expressed concern that the portions of Route 3 that are only 2 lanes instead of 4 (near Stevensburg and near Culpeper town limits) are an issue.  We’ll find out soon if VDOT agrees.

Just how dangerous is distracted driving?

In 2007 – a year with record high motor vehicle fatalities for Virginia – 1,026 people died in auto crashes.  But fatalities aren’t the whole story.  There were also 145,405 vehicle accidents which resulted in 68,822 being injured, some severely.

Sure, these statistics are bad, but accidents happen, right?  That’s the perception that Virginia officials want to change.  With driver inattention contributing to a large majority of auto accidents in the state, authorities are looking for ways to get the word out to Virginia drivers that their behavior has to change.

Do you know just how dangerous certain distracting behaviors can be when you’re behind the wheel?  Check out this data from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Naturalistic Driving Study, Relative Risk Estimates for Crash/Near Crash Inattention Events:

Driver behavior and associated increased risk for an accident

1. Reaching for a moving object: 9 times more likely to be involved in a crash
2. Driving drowsy: 4 times
3. Looking at an external object : 3.7 times
4. Reading: 3.4 times
5. Dialing a phone: 2.8 times
6. Applying makeup: 3 times
7. Eating: 1.6 times
8. Reaching for a non-moving object: 1.4 times
9. Talking on hand-held phone: 1.3 times

We hope Virginia officials are successful in getting the word out about the dangers and risks of distracted driving.  Even one preventable accident caused by a distracted driver is one too many.