The Easter weekend was a deadly one across Central Florida roads.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say the holiday weekend mixed with spring break travelers usually makes March one of the deadliest months for the area.
Claudia Rushlow’s family and friends, from Michigan, are making their way through Central Florida on spring break. Rushlow says she’s noticed a disturbing trend on the roads.
“A lot of texting and driving, a lot of distracted driving,” said Rushlow.
FHP troopers say distracted driving - and sometimes drunk driving - mixed with all the spring break travelers, can make for a deadly combination.
On Saturday in Seminole County, six people were thrown out of a van as it tumbled across I-4 near the Longwood rest area. Investigators say a person killed in that crash, and two others killed in a crash in Sanford Sunday night had one thing in common – none of the victims were wearing seatbelts.
Troopers say you can’t control what other drivers are doing out on the road. But they say if you at least buckle up, you can give yourself a chance to survive a crash if you get into one.
“Be in the mindset when you get in that car that you can see anyone coming towards you. Wear your seatbelt, be paying attention, we always tell people to put down the phone. And if you can – just try to avoid the crash,” said Sgt. Kim Montes with FHP.
Rushlow says she does everything she can to prevent spring break from taking a tragic turn for the worse.
Troopers say alcohol is also to blame for the rise they usually see in fatal crashes. Montes says they find some drunk drivers are well over the legal limit during this time of year.