Shenandoah National Park urges drivers to abide by rules of the road

LURAY, Va. (WHSV) - Shenandoah National Park (SNP) has seen an increase of people disregarding the speed limits on Skyline Drive.

Speeding on Skyline Drive can cause major accidents including head-on crashes or cars driving off the side of the road. SNP has started a new social media campaign to discourage drivers from breaking the traffic laws set in place in the park.

“There are more than just vehicles using the road, having that picture out there is kind of like a light bulb moment,” Alyssah Fox, Public Information Officer of SNP, said. “It sticks in your head and serves as that reminder for you when you are on that drive.”

Fox said that many accidents that occur on Skyline Drive involved the wildlife in the park. She said that areas of frequent crashes have signs or markings for drivers to identify and use extra caution when driving around those areas.

Fox said the responsibility of staying safe on the roadway is on the drivers and passengers. By abiding by the speed limit, not only do people avoid legal troubles, but they avoid financial and medical troubles if they can prevent accidents from happening.

“It’s really a lot of responsibility that the driver has to take on or their passengers,” Fox said. “The point of the drive is to really take in everything that’s around you.”

Fox said the speed limit can very on the drive, ranging from 35 mph to 15 mph depending on if you are on open road or near a campsite.

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