MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Last year the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security recorded 198 roadway fatalities in Shelby County.
We are on track to surpass last year's total
The current total of roadway fatalities for 2022 sits at 189 fatalities, with six of those fatalities happening in October, according to TDSHS.
“I drive my children to school every morning.” Evette Vinette, Daily Memphis Driver, said. “Thirty minutes one way. So that’s about an hour commute every day.”
Evette Vinette says she is always vigilant of her surroundings on the road because many drivers are not always paying attention to the car ahead or behind them.
“You run into a lot of things.” Vinette said. “Some people seem to be distracted while they are driving. A lot of recklessness, cell phone usage.”
Vinette said she drives defensively in order to keep herself and her kids safe on the road.
“My first thing is always to allow them… because obviously they have something way more important than me.” Vinette Stated. “I’m going to consider my life, I don’t know what else they have to do. So if they want to get over then it’s a lot easier for me to allow you to do so and put some distance between us.”
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol we have seen a one-point five percent uptick in roadway fatalities in Tennessee and a four point five percent increase in Shelby county.
THP’s data does not take into account every deadly accident that takes place in Memphis as THP mostly deals with interstates.
And it is not just cars that are involved with the recent roadway fatalities.
In the past three days two motorcyclist perished in separate crashes.
Vinette’s brother sustained serious injuries while riding his motorcycle.
“And that brought another level of consciousness for me regarding motorcyclist.” Vinette said. “I have a whole other respect for them. Very much like you said. They are in a smaller vehicle. They don’t have the protection that we have. Also, they have to put another level of trust in the people around them, in order to around us, so we should respect that.”