The SUV crossed the intersection [but not] before an oncoming car’s driver had to put its brakes on to avoid a crash….Although the speed limit on Hayward Road is 25 mph, the cruiser’s radar showed the vehicle was going 45 mph…."She admitted to speeding because her kids were late for school,"
**************************************
[B’ Spokes: At lest her kids were "safely" tucked away in an SUV. How outrageous of behavior do we need before cracking down on these people? Traffic fatalities is the leading cause of death for kids, maybe health officials should be called in to determine if she is routinely putting her kids at risk of death and deemed an unfit mother? Maybe speeders in school zones should have their and their kids BMI noted and double fines if overweight and triple fines if obese. Something needs to be done to stress that exercise as part of adults and kids daily routine is far more important then speeding and overweight people have no right forcing their lifestyle on other people. Too many parents do not let their kids bike or walk to school because of the way they themselves drive and this is not right.]
**************************************
from Stop the Maryland Unsafe Driver by Driver
Maryland should be called the “Warning” state. The likelihood of a twenty-one year old female resident in a large SUV with children on board gliding (not stopping) at a colloquially-known dangerous intersection and then driving forty-five miles per hour in a twenty five miles per hour school zone receiving an actual citation seems remote.
There are some behaviors that SHOULD mandate a citation. When passengers, especially children, are placed at risk of injury or death especially by a younger driver with little life and driving experience a citation should be issued. A warning serves no useful purpose.
Warnings are part of the politically-correct-minimize-the-carnage posture that law enforcement takes in Maryland. This is simply wrong in the face of the sheer numbers of aggressive, wanton reckless, and careless drivers on our roads. A warning is serving no useful purpose.
The twenty one year old mom in this story needs the ticket. A warning and the points are meaningless. When she has to deal with a fine and the increase in her insurance premium she may understand and commit to a lifetime of safe driving. The decision to take a serious risk at a dangerous intersection with children on board was, to say the least, flawed. Also flawed was the officer’s kindness in issuing a citation. Kindness may not a safe driver make.
There are far too many dead, maimed, and injured as a direct result of risky behaviors on our roads. Politicians need to get comfortable with enforcement for the sake of their constituents instead of providing a pass for bad behavior in a culture that has become reckless by default
Comment from Stop the Maryland Unsafe Driver: https://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StopTheMarylandUnsafeDriver/~3/T4Z3HdB4YCk/
News coverage: https://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=106071oldId.20100613085757884
Biking in Baltimore