Waterbury, Vt. - The amount of deadly traffic crashes in the Green Mountain State is strikingly high. That is the word from Vermont State Police.
There have been 42 fatal accidents just this year. That is compared to 55 fatal accidents in all of 2011. And police say the causes are across the board.
"19 were not wearing seat belts. Speed was involved in what we know so far in 11 of those fatalities. We know that alcohol was suspected in 16 of these fatalities," Vermont Commissioner of Public Safety Keith Flynn said.
Five of the accidents were linked to drugs.
With so many contributing factors, it is hard to know how to stop these accidents. Police are starting with speed.
"There will be four regional teams that are going to be concentrating on probably between three and five high crash locations and using those teams basically to saturate those areas," Vermont State Police Lieutenant John Flannigan said.
There will be roughly four offices per team, spread in four corners of the State. Their exact locations have not been announced. They will be active between July 4 and Labor Day.
"I think every officer probably has their own tolerance. But, now the tolerance is the one that's been posted on the speed limit signs," Flynn said.
