Tragic Accident on Loop 202 Claims Life of 21-Year-Old Phoenix Resident
Early Sunday morning, a fatal collision on the Loop 202 freeway resulted in the death of a 21-year-old man from Phoenix.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the incident occurred around 2:45 a.m. when a 2014 Dodge Ram collided with a 2010 Nissan Sentra in the HOV lane. The Nissan Sentra had been disabled from a previous injury collision.
The impact of the crash caused Francisco O. Lopez to be ejected from the vehicle, and unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The at-fault driver, identified as Nereyda O. Valenzuela, sustained possible injuries and is now facing a criminal charge of manslaughter.
The tragic event took place near milepost 1 close to 24th Street.
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Increasing Roadway Fatalities in Arizona
Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation reveals a concerning trend of rising fatalities on Arizona roads over the past decade:
- 2011: 825 deaths
- 2012: 821 deaths
- 2013: 844 deaths
- 2014: 774 deaths
- 2015: 895 deaths
- 2016: 952 deaths
- 2017: 1,000 deaths
- 2018: 1,010 deaths
- 2019: 982 deaths
- 2020: 1,057 deaths
ADOT offers valuable driving tips on its website to promote road safety. These include:
- Don’t speed or drive aggressively
- Never drive under the influence
- Avoid distractions while driving
- Ensure all passengers wear seatbelts
- Move over for emergency vehicles
- Stay vigilant in work zones
- Be prepared for hazardous weather conditions
For more road safety tips, visit ADOT’s Driving Safety Homepage.
Real-time highway conditions can be accessed through ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site, by calling 511, downloading the AZ 511 app, and following @ArizonaDOT on Twitter.
