Summer driving safety awareness

STROUD TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The time from Memorial Day to Labor Day is named the 100 deadliest days as there is a sharp increase in fatal vehicle crashes, especially involving teenagers, according to AAA.

Mike Stettler with the Stroud Township Volunteer Fire Department talked about the influx of drivers in the Poconos.

“Typically, the higher volume of high traffic in the summer leads to more people, especially people out of town. We’re a big vacation destination so you have issues with people not knowing how to go from one place to another.”

Nationwide, more than 7,400 people died in teen driver-related summertime crashes from 2013 to 2022.

Stettler says safety on the roads is important not just for teens, but all drivers.

“This is a holiday season for everybody, vacation time and you know just take your time, nobody should be in a real rush. If you’re a couple of minutes late, it’s better than the alternative.”

Stroud Township Fire was one of several agencies that responded to a tractor-trailer rollover that caught fire on Interstate 80 Friday night .

Stettler says when responding to a crash, being aware is key for the safety of all drivers and first responders.

“People getting out of the way when they hear sirens and lights is always a great thing. Not trying to advance through that as well, which I’ve seen several times.”

Interstate 80 was shut down for hours as they put out the fire, a situation Stettler says you can prepare for.

In case you get stuck behind a crash or at a road closure, make sure to travel with an emergency kit inside your vehicle that has extra water, non-perishable food, and any medication if needed.

With July 4 next week, AAA predicts nearly 71 million travelers will travel on the road for the holiday.

That’s a five percent increase compared to last year.

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