PHOENIX — One person was killed and another injured in a wrong-way crash on State Route 51 in Phoenix late Saturday night.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said around 11:52 p.m., they received reports of a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes near Bethany Home Road.
DPS said shortly after the calls, there was a report of a collision nearby. A Honda Civic crashed head-on with a Jeep near milepost 6.
The Honda Civic's driver, a 57-year-old man from the East Valley, died at the scene. His name has not yet been disclosed.
Deaths on Arizona roadways:
Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation shows that roadway fatalities have been gradually rising in Arizona over the last decade:
2011: 825 deaths
2012: 821 deaths
2013: 844 deaths
2014: 774 deaths
2015: 895 deaths
2016: 952 deaths
2017: 1,000 deaths
2018: 1,010 deaths
2019: 982 deaths
2020: 1,057 deaths
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Driving Safety Tips:
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) offers driving tips to help keep people safe on the road.
"There’s always room for improvement when it comes to road safety," the department said on its website.
ADOT's suggestions include:
- Don’t speed or drive aggressively
- Never drive while under the influence of substances
- Avoid distractions while driving
- Wear your seatbelt and make sure all passengers are doing the same
- When an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road, move over
- Stay extra aware in work zones
- Be prepared for weather conditions that make driving dangerous