In just the last week, at least ten people have died on the roads in our state.
Experts say everyone – especially drivers – can do a lot more to help keep people safe.
“When you’re looking for a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, that was Carson,” Mary Beth Baillargeon, a 9th grade teacher, said.
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The teen was among at least 10 people who died on roads in the state in the past week.
Crashes also took lives including in Bristol, Burlington and Westbrook – where an alleged wrong-way driver hit and killed Mark Palumbo Jr.
“I just loved Mark and I loved spending time with him, and I loved the person he was and how he cared for people,” Michael Brotz, his brother-in-law, said.
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The DOT has been installing wrong-way driver detection systems at highway ramps.
Already roughly 80 sites are online across the state.
“It's been about 120 times that a driver has gone up the highway in the wrong direction, the system's activated and they stopped and turned around. So, you know, those are hundreds of lives saved because of this technology,” Josh Morgan, CTDOT spokesperson, said.
According to state data, so far this year there have been 253 traffic deaths.
Pedestrian deaths are up 23 percent and motorcycle up 19 percent, compared to the five-year average.
“We need drivers to pay better attention, especially in residential areas, in wooded areas, because we know that it is deer mating season as well, but also when they are just driving period, pay attention. We need people to focus on the roadways,” Tracy Noble, a AAA Club Alliance spokesperson, said.
As for this time of the year, the DOT says this is a more dangerous stretch with the time change coming up and darker afternoons.
Another reminder to follow the rules of the road, including slowing down, putting the phone away and not driving impaired.
