RICHMOND, Va. — A new study revealed Virginia is the most dangerous state for drivers during the Fourth of July holiday.
The study was conducted byJerry Insurance using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration between 2006 and 2020.
The three states with the highest death toll (per capita/100,000 people) during the holiday period were Virginia (19.91), Tennessee (17.17) and South Carolina (12.99).
Similarly, the same three states had higher than average numbers of fatalities on rural roads. In Virginia, 64% of fatalities occurred in rural areas; in Tennessee, 54%, and in South Carolina, 81%.
Nationally, on July 4, the fatal crash rate is nearly 30% higher than on non-holidays.
The rate of fatal crashes on July 4 rises steadily throughout the day peaking at 9 p.m. through 10 p.m. The safest time to drive on July 4 is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m, which the study based on lowest rates of both speeding and drunk driving fatalities.
More than half of fatal crashes over the 4th of July holiday period — 55% — involved speeding or drunk driving, and 17% involved both. Then 32% involved speeding, but not drunk driving, and 39% drunk driving, but not speeding.
Lt. James Profita with Chesterfield Police said you are twice as likely to die in a car crash in his county than during a violent crime.
“Most of the time after people have become intoxicated, they don't feel intoxicated is the biggest number one,” he explained. “They don't understand that the bullseye within five miles of where you live is where something bad is going happen to you most likely.”
Profita urged drivers to put down the distractions like your cell phone.
“People just won't put their keys down and drive. They just don't understand that one [drink] is too much,” he explained.
He said the legal driving limit after ingesting alcohol in other countries is .03 compared to .08 in Virginia.
“That's one beverage and you're over the limit already. Maybe that's the one beverage rule we should set for yourself,” Profita stated.
