Winter weather brings chaos to the streets
Photo Credit: Lee Deaver
Shown here, you see how driving in wintry conditions can turn dangerous and, in some cases, fatal.
March 3, 2010 • Celia Edenton
Filed under Opinion & Editorial
Intense weather, cabin fever, and commuting in wintry conditions make winter a dreaded time of year for many Virginians. 2010 has been especially vicious to the eastern seaboard. Recent snowstorms that left up to three feet of snow in the Spotsylvania & Fredericksburg areas resulted in multiple vehicle accidents, some of which proved fatal.
However, according to Safety Magazine, winter is the season with the “least amount of accidents and safest driving habits.” Why is this? Because when road conditions are bad, people are less likely to be out driving; those that do choose to drive in wintry weather are much more cautious about their surroundings.
But what happens when they snow melts away enough for everyone to be out and about? These conditions can be somewhat of a disaster.
Ridden with cabin fever and extreme aggravation, people all pour out into the streets, trying to accomplish what they haven’t been able to get done for weeks: grocery shopping that’s been ignored, mail runs to the post office, and people finding their way back to work after conditions finally prove well enough. Some people are seen becoming extremely aggressive and showing major road rage.
This can make driving all the more dangerous because black ice is still there while hot headed drivers are having frenzy on the open road. When out and about in this weather, the last thing people want is to have to worry about added danger, via other angry drivers. Some ways to keep safe in times like these is to never get overly upset with others and become pushy; seeing as it can result with tragic headlines in the paper reading things such as “Local Pileup Results in Triple Death”.
People are encouraged to leave earlier than normal to give themselves time so that they are not in a rush, and maybe not paying as much attention as they could.
Local resident Chris James said “You go out to run the simple errands things done that you’ve not been able to do, and people are going crazy, running into ditches, and causing accidents.”
This is a very true statement. Something everyone should keep in mind is that they aren’t the only ones on the road, so be careful, and keep calm. It’s something that will make a huge difference for all involved.
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