ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) – Drivers seeking fall-colored leaves should expect this weekend to be the busiest on a scenic road that runs through the Appalachian Mountains from North Carolina to Virginia.
The Asheville Citizen-Times quotes Blue Ridge Parkway spokeswoman Caitlin Worth in a Thursday report as saying “traditionally the third week in October is the busiest.” Staff members also remind drivers to keep watching the road.
Worth says distracted driving is the main cause of crashes, especially during fall’s pretty views and weather.
There have been 24 accidents on the parkway this month while October 2016 had 51. The parkway’s highest posted speed limit is 45 mph (70 kph).
The parkway is the most visited unit of the National Park Service, with more than 15 million visitors last year and 2 million that October.
This time of year is also generally the busiest period for Shenandoah National Park and its Skyline Drive, which draws large crowds of autumnal leaf-peepers.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (PHOTO: CC0 Creative Commons via Pixabay)
