Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Coal Region Canary
Coal Region CanaryCoal Region Canary

Local News

Schuylkill County Traffic Fatalities Spiked 36% in 2021

Half of 2021’s total involved an impaired driver.

schuylkill county roadway fatalities 2021

Fatalities on Schuylkill County roadways spiked 36% in 2021 over the previous year.

The 26 deaths recorded on Schuylkill County roads is the highest since 2014 and is 7 more than the 19 recorded in 2020, according to new data from the state Transportation Dept.

Overall, roadway deaths jumped 9% in Pennsylvania in 2021, which PennDOT says is in line with the rate nationwide, citing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Whether you are a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist, we can all do our part to prevent crashes and fatalities. Buckle up every time you are in a vehicle. Always cross the road at an intersection or crosswalk. Always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle or bicycle. Never drive, ride, or walk impaired or distracted. Let’s work together to reduce traffic deaths, because even one fatality is one too many,” says PennDOT secretary Yassmin Gramian.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147

26 Roadway Deaths in Schuylkill County During 2021

Impaired driving accounted for half of the 26 fatalities in Schuylkill County. Those 13 deaths are 4 more than the number recorded, 9, in 2020 in Schuylkill County.

However, the number of roadway deaths blamed on impaired drivers dropped statewide. In Pennsylvania during 2021, 450 roadway deaths were blamed on an impaired driver, down from 471 in 2020. Despite the drop, that’s still 35% of all traffic fatalities, according to PennDOT.

Pedestrian deaths increased in 2021 by 36 over 2020’s total (182 from 146). There was 1 pedestrian fatality recorded in Schuylkill County during 2021, down from 3 in 2020 and 2 each in 2019 and 2018.

There were 6 motorcycle fatalities in 2021, the same as in 2020. And that’s the most since 2011, when there were 7 recorded in Schuylkill County.

Here’s a look at the total number of traffic fatalities in counties surrounding Schuylkill in 2021:

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147
  • Schuylkill: 26
  • Luzerne: 41
  • Carbon: 11
  • Lehigh: 30
  • Berks: 46
  • Lebanon: 26
  • Dauphin: 41
  • Northumberland: 7
  • Columbia: 5

Subscribe to Coal Region Canary

Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!
Loading

News Tips?

Let us know of news happening in your area. Use our NEWS TIPS ENTRY FORM
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More From The Canary

Obituaries Index

The latest obituaries from the Schuylkill County coal region for June 6, 2023.

Local News

Police investigation ongoing

Local News

State Police bomb squad called in

Local News

Investigation ongoing, police say

Local Sports

Early 7-2 odds on the Pine Grove-bred horse

Canary Jumped the Shark

What's the deal with June 31st?

Schuylkill County Man

Victim told police the bear made her "see stars"

Local Weather

Windy, dry conditions

Schuylkill County Police News

Incident happened on May 27

Local News

Opposing Republicans present strong argument on 'No' vote

Advertisement https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147