Capital Beltway death toll highest in Prince George's

New statistics show that the portion of the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County is by far the deadliest section of the roadway. Forty-two people were killed in crashes between 2006 and 2008 between the Virginia border and the interchange where Interstate 95 splits off toward Baltimore. During the same period, 18 people died on the rest of the highway. The numbers come from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The deadly stretch accounts for less than a third of the Beltway's total mileage. Long-term construction projects are likely a factor in the disparity in deaths. Speed could also be an issue. Lon Anderson, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, says the Prince George's section of the Beltway is where people drive the fastest.

- Associated Press