Traffic Fatalities Rising In Winston-Salem

There's been an uptick in traffic deaths in the Winston-Salem area. A vehicle crash on June 11 marked the 12th crash fatality of 2017. That's compared to just five at this time last year.

Half of the accidents have been “death by offender.” That means no other car was involved, just a solitary motorist. The remainder of the deaths involved multiple vehicles, or motorcycles.

Officer Kyle Krawczyk with the Winston Salem Police Department says distracted driving from smartphone use and in-dash electronics has contributed to the problem.

Krawczyk points to several public safety initiatives, like The Governor's Highway Safety Program. They're behind awareness campaigns like "Click It Or Ticket," and "Speed A Little, Lose A Lot."   

There's also the "NC Vision Zero" initiative. Its goal is to completely eliminate traffic-related fatalities by changing the overall traffic safety culture.

Krawczyk also says that North Carolina is growing, and an improved economy means more vehicles on the road.

By the end of 2016, there were 22 vehicular deaths in the greater Winston-Salem area.