There have been 2 fatal crashes and 3 injury crashes on county roads in the past week. 

“We have seen this heartbreaking trend over the past few years, but the last seven days have been really rough,” said Sergeant Tom Speldrich with the Lane County Sheriff's Office. “With many of these fatal and serious injury crashes there is a mix of speeding, intoxication or distraction. The worst part is they’re so preventable.”

Safety officials have three reminders for drivers:

• Slow down. Many fatal crashes involve excessive speed. On rural roads excessive speed can be especially dangerous because the roadway is narrow and drivers do not have as much opportunity to correct before leaving the roadway; there are often trees, boulders or other hard obstacles close to the edge that increase the likelihood of a crash being fatal.
• Drive sober. If you have to question whether you are sober enough to make it home you aren’t okay to drive. Find a designated driver, use a rideshare service, or stay where you are, but don’t get behind the wheel if you are under the influence of any intoxicating substances – legal or not.
• Be aware of winter road conditions. This goes hand in hand with reducing speed. This time of year, roads are likely to be slippery and rain or fog reduces drivers’ field of vision. Pay attention to the weather and road conditions and adjust your driving accordingly.

“Safe choices save lives. People overestimate how much it takes to get into a serious crash,” said Lane County Transportation Planner Becky Taylor. “It can happen in the blink of an eye. Being a safe and sober driver who is focused on the road instead of a phone reduces that risk drastically.”

Watch a video about the dangers of fatal crashes in Lane County at https://vimeo.com/751924248.

“Don’t turn a temporary problem, like being late, into a permanent loss,” said Speldrich.

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