Street 'shortcut' could be deadly

With 10 pedestrian deaths so far this year, police stress safety

By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer

Published 11/29/09

Darting across a roadway outside of a crosswalk may save pedestrians time, but it could cost them their lives.

That's especially true in Anne Arundel County, where older thoroughfares not engineered with pedestrians in mind become more heavily congested as development sprouts up, said Lt. John McAndrew of the county police Traffic Safety Section.

Seven percent of fatal pedestrian crashes statewide in 2008 - and an average of 9 percent of Maryland's pedestrian fatalities in the past decade - took place in Anne Arundel, said David Buck, a State Highway Administration spokesman.

The deaths of two men killed while...

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kurt is right - 2009-11-30 03:08:12

thank you kurt, i couldn't agree more with you. also bicyclists and other pedestrians should use reflective clothing when venturing out at night. too many times i have nearly hit people who are running cross the street and not wearing any kind of reflective clothing, it's very dangerous.

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Barbara Watkins - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Terrible

Dangerous Roads - 2009-11-29 12:18:02

While not shown in this online edition, the Sunday print edition has an interesting pictureon the back page. It it I see at least two cars that are violating another never enforced law. It is raining, winshield wipers are in use, and their lights are not on. This law was enacted to make an automoblie more visable, not help the driver see better in low light conditions. Every day I drive during rain and foggy conditions and I see at least 30-40% of the cars on the road with their lights off. To those drivers, I want to ask, How many times have you been cut off, pulled out in front of, or almost run off the road. Maybe it wasn't a bad driver, maybe it was a driver who could not see your light colored car because your lights were off. Turn your lights on and use your turn signals. This allows me to see you and shows me what your directional intentions are. I don't have ESP. As I remeb]mber, headlights and turn signals are not "optional equipment" that you paid extra for.
As for the pedestrians; take off your ipod ear phones, get off the cell phone and pay attention to what's going on around you for a change. It may save your life. Also, wearing black clothing at night while walking along a road is not a real smart choice.

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Kurt Riefner - Crownsville, Md - Karma: Excellent