Making I-81 less lethal

Shenandoah County Sheriff Timothy Carter and Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, are working together to have the segment of Interstate 81 through the county designated as a highway safety corridor in an attempt to stem the dismaying rate of fatalities on this over-used stretch of highway.

Such a designation, already in place on I-81 near Salem and Interstate 95 in Northern Virginia and Richmond, would boost penalties for some offenses to as much as $2,500. Speed limits in these corridors range from 55 to 65 mph, and they are enforced by a greater police presence.

Shenandoah County would seem to be a likely candidate for such a corridor even though the accident rate has yet to receive comprehensive study. This part of the interstate has been plagued since November by a series of horrific crashes involving tractor-trailers and passenger cars in which at least eight people have died. Even those wrecks that did not involve fatalities have snarled area roads and blocked the interstate for hours on end.

With efforts to widen the interstate apparently stalled amid budget constraints after much discussion and press coverage in recent years, such palliatives as the safety corridor are probably the only option at this point -- for governments. They can only do so much, and the major responsibility for staying alive on the interstate rests with drivers themselves.

The best thing we can do is stay off the interstate if possible. If you must use the highway, plan ahead and leave earlier to avoid the rush that results in tailgating. Vehicles tend to travel in packs, so use variations in speed to seek out the gaps between them where there's open road, and steer clear of tractor-trailers. Buckle up and avoid distractions such as cell phones, CD players and food and drink. Before you get behind the wheel, you may even want to say a prayer.