First responders seeing more fatalities during this year’s 100 deadliest days
About one month into the 100 deadliest days on the road, already first responders are concerned with the numbers they are seeing.
Idaho State Police said it is shaping up to possibly be a record year for fatality crashes.
“To be honest with you, this is one of the worst starts to the summer that I’ve ever seen,” said Lt. Mike Winans, ISP patrol. “I’ve been doing law enforcement for over 20 years now and I can’t remember a period that has been this bad at the start of the summer with fatality crashes.”
It’s not just law enforcement that says it’s higher. Hospitals, like Portneuf Medical Center, are reporting an increase too.
“May was our busiest month ever on record for trauma cases,” said Greg Vickers, manager of the trauma and EMS program at Portneuf Medical Center. “And so far in June it’s ahead of schedule as well. We’re about 20 percent above what we were last year for our total trauma cases. That includes car accidents, ATV accidents, 4-wheelers, motorcycles.”
“The biggest thing that we’re seeing with these crashes is distracted driving, people not paying attention,” Winans said. “We’re also seeing a lot of impaired drivers so people using drugs and alcohol.”
In a post from Colonel Kedrick Wills of the Idaho State Police, ISP is pleading with drivers to be cautious – to pay attention and drive responsibly because being reckless behind the wheel is not worth a life for anyone.
“I can’t even begin to describe the horror that these troopers, officers and deputies – that they have to see when they respond to these crashes,” Winans described. “These are things that they will live with the rest of their lives. Not only that, we see the families that area affected by these. We deliver death notices to them – something that never gets easy.”
