BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - State records show the number of deaths on Vermont’s roads through the first quarter of this year is at the highest point in five years.
Between Jan. 1 and March 31, 16 people died as a result of 14 crashes, the most since 21 people died in 2012.
The Burlington Free Press (https://bfpne.ws/2owPQbD ) reports safety advocates blame the increase on a rise in impaired driving, a decrease in seat belt use and more motorists on the road.
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Records show that deaths on Vermont’s roads have been increasing since 2014, when the state recorded a modern-era low of 44. In 2015 the figure rose to 57 and last year 64.
The all-time high for traffic deaths was 161 in 1979.
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Information from: The Burlington Free Press, https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com
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