BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – It’s one of the busiest travel weeks of the year as millions hit the road for Thanksgiving. Reporter Ike Bendavid spoke with officials and drivers about safety, especially in bad road conditions.
AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will hit the road through Monday. And across our region — on top of traffic troubles — drivers will encounter some expected winter weather. The primary message from the police — take it slow.
“I would like to implore the public to drive at appropriate speeds for the conditions,” said Swanton Police Chief Matthew Sullivan, who joined other
members of the Safe Highway Accident Reduction Program during a blood drive on Tuesday.
“Traffic safety is a shared responsibility that each of us plays a role in. A little preparation will go a long way in ensuring your travels are memorable for the right reasons,” said Vermont State Police Lt. Paul Ravelin.
Authorities emphasized the importance of sober driving and avoiding distractions. Most of all, they want you to buckle up. The state says more than 40 percent of fatal crashes in the last 10 years involved people not wearing a seatbelt, deaths they say that could have been prevented.
“We must understand that traveling this time of the year as we are visiting our friends and family it’s important to keep our families and loved ones safe,” said Erin Sisson with VTrans.
To get ahead of the traffic troubles, the state is stacking highly traveled roads statewide with extra patrols. “It is our hope that additional officers focused on highway safety will keep Vermonters and visitors safe as they travel on our roads,” said Kevin Lane with the Vermont State Highway Safety Office
Drivers we spoke with say they are ready to remain alert on the roads. “Just be careful for those people who don’t have snow tires that may be coming in driving long distances,” said Ethan Murphy of Shelburne.
“I think it’s very dire to stay safe on the roads and not let yourself get out of control ‘cause it’s like for the safety of yourself and the safety of others,” said Trent Biaza of South Burlington
As drivers prepare to hit the road, officials also ask that you prepare your car, too. That means checking fluid levels, including windshield wiper and fuel.