The new year has brought a devastating wave of fatal crashes to our area, with four people losing their lives in three separate incidents in Martin and Palm Beach counties.
The youngest victim was just 16 years old.
WATCH: Memorials grow as 4 people die in 3 separate crashes
A memorial is growing with flowers and candles on Bridge Road and Interstate 95 in Hobe Sound, where a 17-year-old Martin County High School student and a 16-year-old from Jupiter lost their lives. A 13-year-old, the sister of the teen from Jupiter, remains in the hospital with serious injuries.
"It's a shame. It's very sad," said Kathi Luciano of Martin County. "It's terrible for the families."
Sheriff John Budensiek of the Martin County Sheriff's Office said this is no way to start a new year.
That crash was just the first in a deadly weekend. Ten miles away, another memorial can be found near Hobe Sound, where a 20-year-old died Saturday after hitting a tree, causing the vehicle to burst into flames.
Then Sunday in Palm Beach County, a 26-year-old motorcyclist died crashing his bike into the side of a truck.
Region Martin County
Sheriff urges drivers to slow down following 'catastrophic' crashes
"These crashes both could've been avoided," Budensiek said.
The string of tragedies has left community members nervous about their loved ones driving.
"It's scary for us grandparents," Luciano said. "My daughter-in-law said our kids are never gonna drive."
Crash statistics from 2025 show every county in our viewing area had roughly the same number of crashes as previous years, with a total of 36,063 crashes resulting in 242 fatalities spanning five counties.
"That's a lot. We shouldn't have that many," Luciano said.
In every county, the number of deaths was actually lower in 2025 than in 2024, except for Martin County, which had four more deaths in 2025.
Budensiek said drivers need to be aware and take the roadways seriously.
"Not paying attention can result in something catastrophic like this," Budensiek said.
"You have to teach your kids to be vigilant and to know what's going on and to be careful," Luciano said.
Students in Martin County returned to school for their first day without their classmate, and counseling was made available to them.
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