Pierce County officials concerned heading into summer months with 15 fatal crashes so far in 2021

More and more people are dying behind the wheel in Pierce County and officials are concerned as we move into the summer months, warning folks to slow down on the roads.

There have been 15 fatal crashes in Pierce County in 2021. On average, the total number of fatal crashes per year is about 22, officials say. It's cause for concern as we move toward the warmer months and more people are expected to be on the roads.

"People that are getting back out, on the road, this summer, going on long trips, or just going to the lake, or out to the mountain, just need to proceed with caution and drive carefully," said Sergeant Darren Moss Junior with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

Moss said there have been weeks this year with back-to-back fatal crashes and a lot of these incidents can be avoided.

"Your speed is what causes your death at that point," he said. "If you’re going ten over the speed limit you probably would have survived, maybe not had very many injuries. When you’re going 30, 40, 50 miles per hour over the speed limit, you’re just asking for a death sentence at that point," Moss added.

One of the worst incidents this year happened in March in Puyallup, Moss said.

He said a car driving more than 120 mph slammed into a 31-year-old mom who was driving back from the store who died at the scene.

"People just need to slow down; they need to slow down a lot," said Moss.

The hope is with more traffic on the roads due to warmer weather and loosened restrictions people will drive responsibly, he said.

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