Excessive Speed for Road Conditions

To the Editor:

On Saturday evening, Jan. 29, I heard a report on the radio scanner of three motor vehicle accidents within a quarter mile area on Hollywood Road near Dorsey Park. This report came as no surprise considering the prevailing weather conditions of mixed snow, sleet and freezing rain, and the readily obvious hazardous road conditions.

Later, I learned that two fatalities occurred in one of these three accidents. The details of this fatal accident were not surprising. The vehicle lost control on the icy road and collided with an on-coming vehicle. However, what was a surprise was that a spokesman for the sheriff’s department stated that neither vehicle was exceeding the speed limit. It may have been the case that the vehicle that lost control was not exceeding the posted speed limit, but it is certainly arguable that it was exceeding a reasonable and prudent speed limit for the existing road conditions. Had the vehicle been moving slower, the driver might very well have not lost control. Sadly, the probable cause of the fatal accident was driver error due to excessive speed relative to the road conditions.

I make it a practice to not venture out on the roads of St. Mary’s County during inclement weather, especially during the winter. There are simply too many drivers who foolishly refuse to slow down. They demonstrate extremely poor judgment. You need only listen to the reports of accidents on the radio scanner during bad weather to come to the realization that too many people in St. Mary’s County falsely consider themselves to be “all weather” drivers.

Arline List
California, MD