Remember Traffic Safety

As we go through another weather event in the past 24 hours I am reminded about traffic safety. When I first moved down to Maryland in 2009, I realized something pretty quick, that was it seemed more traffic accidents occurred when there was some time of precipitation (rain, snow, ice, etc.).

I am not saying I am a perfect driver by any means, because I am not.  All I am saying is that I believe that a recertification program for drivers might be a good way to go in the future. I have seen many drivers not blink when changing lanes on highways, cut people off completely and blow through red lights and stop signs.

When I come back from the bar for trivia night each week I watch people blow through some stop signs and stop lights. The intersection I see this at the most is the intersection at Waugh Chapel and Piney Orchard Parkway. Drivers slow down to see if drivers are coming north on Piney Orchard Parkway and then going through the light when they have a red light.

During my travels around the area I have numerous people who do not blink when they change lanes or merge onto another road. This is a hindrance to people traveling around those follow this behavior. This behavior does not allow your fellow drivers know what lane you would like to travel. If you blink, you might find more people allowing you to get in front of them. I would!

The biggest issue I have seen since the June 29 storm is that drivers have no idea that a non-working traffic light should be treated as a four way stop. I am thankful that Anne Arundel County police came to the rescue at the intersection of Route 175 and Piney Orchard Parkway during this period.  This intersection is busy at night rush hour and during morning rush hour.  I saw drivers completely run the light at the intersection at Route 175 and Winmeyer Avenue.  I stopped at the light and then other drivers followed by example.

I have found myself going through the traffic laws in the state of Maryland, as they are slightly different of those in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  It would be awesome if other drivers would review their driver’s education book.  

I found the following facts to show about car accidents. I have no way of verifying if a traffic violation contributed to the accident or not but more than likely some sort of traffic violation probably contributed.

12,887 accidents settled at the scene

9,189 accidents that involved property damage

4,678 accidents that involved personal injury

61 accidents that involved a fatality

In 2011, I did not find any stats on the number of accidents that involved talking or texting on a cell phone.

If you sum all of that up, that is 26,815 accidents in 2011 in Anne Arundel County.

Reviewing those traffic laws that we must obey as drivers might aid in decreasing the number of accidents in the county.

 **Stats are provided from the baltimoresun.com Anne Arundel County Crime Map