I-40 ranked one of the deadliest highways for summer travel
NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- According to a new study, Interstate 40 is one of the deadliest highways for summer travel.
ASecureLife.com also ranked it as the deadliest highway in North Carolina.
The study focused on travel in the months of May to September from 2015-2017.
During that time, the organization found that there were 61 fatalities on the roadway in North Carolina.
Sgt. Chris Knox of North Carolina State Highway Patrol said speed is often a contributing factor in the worst crashes. However, he pointed out that I-40 ranks as the deadliest road in the state on this study because it is one of the most traveled roads in the state.
"So you have moms and dads, grandparents that are driving--many times, children in the car," Knox said. "We want them to be vigilant of their speed, because a lot of times, the driver's not the one who dies in one of these serious crashes. It could be one of your passengers."
It also reported 51 deaths in Arizona, 6 in Arkansas, 50 in New Mexico, 34 in Oklahoma and 85 in Tennessee.
Other deadly highways in the Tar Heel state include I-85 with 50 deaths and US-64 with 40.
ASecureLife found the deadliest summertime highway to be I-5 in California.
There were 192 reported deaths on the highway, which connects the northern and southern parts of California.
The study found that speed was a major factor in many of the traffic-related fatalities.
Drivers are encouraged to drive the speed limit and be aware of their surroundings.
"There are a lot of things you can do to keep yourself from becoming one of these statistics. Decreasing your speed, avoiding distractions, and not falling prey to any substances," Knox said.
