A devastating crash in Franklin, Massachusetts, killed a young mom and her 5-year-old daughter. According to prosecutors, the driver of the truck that hit their car had a blood alcohol level that was more than double the legal limit.
"We have seen a lot of bad things happen on the roadways since COVID," said Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast.
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WATCH HEREThe Franklin crash late last month is part of new federal data showing an uptick in deaths caused by drivers under the influence.
"We saw steady progress from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, but it seems like, since COVID, things have taken a U-turn in the wrong direction," Schieldrop said.
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SIGN UP According to AAA Northeast, the number of fatal accidents where drugs or alcohol were a factor have increased every year since 2020, when there were 17.
"So far this year, we are actually on a worse track than last year. So, already this year, there have been 129 total fatal crashes, of which 38% had alcohol or drugs involved," he said.
Public awareness campaigns continue to be used. Massachusetts State Police say the agency continues to set up sobriety checkpoints and deploys an additional 100 patrols during high-risk periods like major events or holidays.
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In 2023, the latest year data is available, state police investigated 34 fatal crashes with suspicion of alcohol impairment and 33 where drug use was suspected.
AAA Northeast also says it is seeing an uptick in distracted driving and aggressive driving issues as well, as the push continues to reverse this troubling trend.
"We see the impact of it almost every day, and in tragedy after tragedy, people are not getting the message," Schieldrop said. "When you drink and drive, it is not just about putting yourself at risk, it is the collateral damage, it is the people that you are going to kill that we worry about."
