Greensboro officers urge drivers to stay safe on road after uptick in fatal crashes

GREENSBORO, NC (WGHP) – In the first six months of 2024, the Greensboro Police Department responded to 24 deadly crashes. That’s six more than they responded to last year in the same time frame. The uptick is raising concerns, especially as we head into a busy holiday travel weekend.

In the past two weeks alone, the department responded to seven crashes. Six were fatal, and one was near-fatal.

Another growing trend officials are seeing is the number of pedestrians killed so far this year. Nine people have been hit and killed by cars since Jan. 1. Two of those victims were trying to cross a busy interstate or highway in Greensboro.

The GPD wants to remind you to be careful while walking alongside the roads and to make sure you have the legal right to cross. Always make sure there’s a crosswalk or intersection with a walk sign.

With more people hitting the roads this week, it’s important to be cautious if you need to pull over for any reason like car troubles. You’re urged to stay in your car and call for help.

“We’re more than happy to come help folks out who’ve run out of gas or need oil or something like that. We can take you to the gas station or service station to help you get what you need in order to get on the way again,” Officer W.T. Crouse said. “If it’s something short, we can sit there for a little while, but we may need to make other arrangements to get you off the highway and get you to a safer location whether it be a tow truck or somebody else coming to help you out and get the car out of the road.”

The trend involving deadly pedestrian crashes isn’t the only one officers are tracking. The number of deadly crashes between cars this year is slightly up compared to last year. There were 15 deadly crashes between Jan. 1 and June 30. The GPD says the main causes behind these crashes are speeding, distractions, failing to yield and running stop signs or red lights.

They hope drivers will put down their phones and keep both eyes on the road at all times.

“You’re going hundreds of feet in a second. That’s a football field in the blink of an eye, and there’s no telling what you missed when your eyes were off the road,” Crouse said.

With this week being a busy travel time, the department says they’ll be out on the roads enforcing the speed limits, enforcing seatbelt laws and especially impaired driving.

Crouse says impaired driving has been a factor in several recent crashes. He says alcohol is not the only impairment that can lead to crashes. Drivers can be impaired by other things like illegal or prescribed drugs. Even if you’re prescribed a drug and take it in the way it’s prescribed, it can still be impairing. They urge anyone who plans to be out drinking, to have a designated driver.

And just because you think you’re being safe on the roads, it doesn’t mean others are.

“You’re not out there alone. You might have been driving fine, but it’s the other people out on the road that you need to look out for. And that’s when a tragedy can occur,” Crouse said.

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