From ice to negligent drivers, roadway dangers are all around us here in Maryland and across the nation, making traveling anywhere in our country a particularly hazardous activity.
To help our Upper Marlboro readers stay a little safer this holiday season, we wanted to highlight just a few of the most common roadway dangers to expect before the year is out. By highlighting these dangers, we hope it gives our readers an idea of what to look out for in order to avoid a serious or fatal motor vehicle crash down the road.
Inclement weather. In most states in the northern part of the hemisphere, snow and ice are a possibility. Maryland is no exception. Drivers in our state should be cautious when weather is treacherous because crashes are more likely during inclement weather.
Drunk drivers. With holidays such as Christmas and New Year's just around the corner, merriment will be at an all-time high in the upcoming weeks. This means, in many cases, an increase in the likelihood of drunk drivers too. These types of drivers are typically erratic and are responsible for a large portion of accidents every year.
Reckless or aggressive drivers. Things like speeding, changing lanes quickly without signaling or following too closely behind the person in front of you are all examples of reckless or aggressive driving. These types of behaviors can easily lead to a crash that can have deadly consequences.
Fatigued or inattentive truck drivers. Most people know just by looking at them that semi trucks are perhaps the worst vehicle to collide with during an accident, mostly because of their size and weight. If you think this way, you have a good reason. Collisions with semi trucks generally result in injuries. And depending on what happens in the crash, deaths can also occur.
Unfamiliarity with the destination area. This is the final danger we'd like our readers to consider: unfamiliarity with an area. Though you may not realize it, not knowing where you're going can drastically change your driving behaviors. You might drive faster than a posted speed limit or accidentally turn the wrong way down a one-way street. Be most mindful of this fact when visiting family in other cities or states as you are likely less familiar with their neighborhood than your own.