Time to enforce traffic laws
It’s no surprise about the number of traffic accidents that are occurring on a regular basis. There is no traffic enforcement. Over a 20-day period in April, I logged all the dangerous driving situations in Middletown that I observed. Here is a summary of nine of those days:
Day 1: While driving at or above the speed limit on Westfield Street I was passed by a car going over the double yellow line with limited visibility and then by two cars also going over the double yellow line in front of Spencer School and clearly in the school zone.
Day 2: At Main Street and College Street, the light turned red and a car in the lefthand lane swerved into the right-hand lane and went through a red light.
Day 3: On Main Street between College and Washington streets a car made a U-turn; that night cars were racing on East Street for at least 15 minutes.
Day 4: A car turned right on red from Grand Street onto Main Street despite obvious signs that right on red was not allowed.
Day 5: A car ran a red light at Crescent and Main St Ext.
Day 6: A car made a U-turn on Westfield Street near Lisa Lane.
Day 7: A pick-up truck going up Westfield Street near Lisa Lane was belching thick, black exhaust; on Ridgewood Road a school bus passed another school bus despite the double yellow line; a car ignored the stop sign at Ridgewood and Poplar.
Day 8: A car made a U-turn on Camp Street right at the Rt. 66 intersection.
Day 9: A car going up Westfield Street went into my lane to pass a car turning onto Ridgewood; a car on Main Street ran a light at College Street a car ran a red light at Hubbard and South Main.
The cars running the red lights were not just speeding up to get through a changing light; the lights were clearly red well before the cars reached them.
My inspiration for submitting this letter was that once again I was passed in the Spencer School zone by a car crossing the double yellow line.
Perhaps, the November election will produce a mayor and council that will compel the police to enforce traffic laws. Without adequate traffic enforcement throughout the state, horrible accidents will continue.