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Figures: Death toll for accidents on Arizona highways on the rise

By FOX 10 Web Staff

Published March 18, 2019 4:14pm MST

Christina Carilla's Reports

FOX 10 Phoenix

PHOENIX (FOX 10) -- It's been a deadly weekend on Arizona roads, as three people were killed in crashes, and DPS officials say many of the highway deaths are preventable.

The statistics are grim, as the number of deaths recorded on Arizona highways is on the rise for 2019. DPS officials say from January 1 to Monday, there have been 80 fatalities on Arizona highways.

At the same timeframe in 2018, there were 68.

DPS officials say there may be more drivers on the roads. One week ago, DPS Director Col. Frank Milstead said 30% of those killed were not wearing a seatbelt, and 25% of the drivers were impaired, either by alcohol, drugs or both.

Col. Milstead message to drivers is to buckle up, and don't drive impaired.

According to ADOT records, a person was killed every 8 hours and 46 minutes in a crash for the year 2017. that's one thousand people killed in crashes, many of them pedestrians.