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The coronavirus pandemic emptied America's roadways. Now speeders have taken over.
Transportation
The coronavirus pandemic emptied America’s roadways. Now speeders have taken over.
California Highway Patrol officer Matthew Musselmann uses a lidar gun for speed detection along Interstate 5 in Anaheim, Calif., on April 23. Police agencies around the country are reporting a rise in speeding tickets. (Chris Carlson/AP)
By Luz Lazo
May 11, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
Three months into the coronavirus pandemic, the United States faces another crisis: a surge in speeding and reckless behavior on the nation’s roadways.
Reckless driving has increased dramatically since March, leading to a disproportionate number of speed-related crashes and fatalities, according to law enforcement and traffic experts.
“We’re getting reports every week of dozens of drivers being cited for traveling over 100 miles an hour. That's just insanity for our roadways,” said Michael Hanson, director of the Office of Traffic Safety in Minnesota, where 42 people were killed in traffic collisions in the first 45 days after the state's March 16 stay-at-home order went into effect. By comparison, 29 people were killed on Minnesota highways during the same period in 2019.
“We have had half the traffic and twice as many fatalities,” Hanson said. “We have more available lane space for drivers to use and abuse .?.?. and people are really, really abusing.”
{snip}
Luz Lazo
Luz Lazo is a transportation reporter at The Washington Post covering passenger and freight transportation, buses, taxis and ride-sharing services. She also writes about traffic, road infrastructure and air travel in the Washington region and beyond. She joined The Post in 2011. Follow https://twitter.com/luzcita
The coronavirus pandemic emptied America’s roadways. Now speeders have taken over.
California Highway Patrol officer Matthew Musselmann uses a lidar gun for speed detection along Interstate 5 in Anaheim, Calif., on April 23. Police agencies around the country are reporting a rise in speeding tickets. (Chris Carlson/AP)
By Luz Lazo
May 11, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
Three months into the coronavirus pandemic, the United States faces another crisis: a surge in speeding and reckless behavior on the nation’s roadways.
Reckless driving has increased dramatically since March, leading to a disproportionate number of speed-related crashes and fatalities, according to law enforcement and traffic experts.
“We’re getting reports every week of dozens of drivers being cited for traveling over 100 miles an hour. That's just insanity for our roadways,” said Michael Hanson, director of the Office of Traffic Safety in Minnesota, where 42 people were killed in traffic collisions in the first 45 days after the state's March 16 stay-at-home order went into effect. By comparison, 29 people were killed on Minnesota highways during the same period in 2019.
“We have had half the traffic and twice as many fatalities,” Hanson said. “We have more available lane space for drivers to use and abuse .?.?. and people are really, really abusing.”
{snip}
Luz Lazo
Luz Lazo is a transportation reporter at The Washington Post covering passenger and freight transportation, buses, taxis and ride-sharing services. She also writes about traffic, road infrastructure and air travel in the Washington region and beyond. She joined The Post in 2011. Follow https://twitter.com/luzcita
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