dentsville accident rt 6

[clevalley]

The only good thing that comes out of these tragedies is that perhaps they save other young folks lives by causing them to wake up and come to some understanding that driving is not a thrill but a responsibility. Both of my sons lost their best friends in high school to tragic, and avoidable, traffic accidents. To this day, I think they, and especially my youngest son, think about them just about every time they drive.

It's unfortunate and tragic that these things occur but maybe, just maybe, there is some "benefit" accrued. My advice to you folks with teenagers...talk to them and try to make them understand that they are not invincible and that they are responsible for their actions. Convince them that strapping on a seatbelt is "cool." Fighter pilots and NASCAR drivers wouldn't think of hitting the gas without them. It might be a corny argument but what the hell, they think we're pretty corny anyway. Seriously, they are listening. There can't be too much worse for a parent than losing a child.

My prayers and condolences to the family and friends of these young people.

Drivers (young and old) will slow down for a month or two, THEN they will start passing me again on this road on the way home. Everyone is short sighted when it comes to this, unless you are personally connected.

About 5 years ago, teenagers launched their car into the woods near Grosstown road (1/4 north of this accident) into a tree - people slowed down for a bit, but now it is forgotten and no one slows down.

 

[clevalley]

Oliver Shop Rd. is one of the worse in the county, there are no shoulders, some bad curves, and the road banks wrong in several places and the number of dump trucks that use that road have caused the pavement to go up and down. The pavement drops right into a rut where it meets the dirt shoulder. It needs to be improved, make it like Burnt Store Rd (231) from Rt. 5 to Oliver Shop, at least have a little asphalt after the white line along the edge, instead of the white line and then dirt. Too many people use that road with all the new homes going up in Dentsville and alot use it as a cross county connecter to get over to Budds Creek.
I was a driver of a piece of appartus last night to the accident, and I absolutley hate responding to any emergency on that road because of the conditions, mentioned above, there is also no where for anyone to hardly pull off to let any emergency equipment pass safely, the road needs to be fixed.

You should have seen the road BEFORE they fixed it! It was REALLY crowned... but there was a fraction of the accidents and traffic as well.

To fix the road from TC Martin to Rt. 6 they would have to close the road and bulldoze it - no way that will happen. 231 from Olivers Shop Road to Hughesville has ALWAYS been like that… it was that way from day one; built with shoulders.

Try to go down the road with a piece of farm equipment – better yet – follow one! I have escorted/followed equipment from Jameson Manor Farm to near and across Rt. 5… I can almost guarantee a near head on because people are in too much of a GD hurry.

Even better – wait until Dick Chaney (not the VP but Mr. Dick Chaney of Chaney Enterprises) decides to gravel out some of his property off of Olivers Shop Road; think there will be problems then? People – be forewarned, it is going to happen!!! Get ready to slow down.

Take your kid to TC Martin one day – cars fly up the hill with a SLOW DOWN SCHOOL ZONE sign! I am surprised no one has gotten killed there!

Wait till shotgun season – the deer will be flying and so will the car parts! It happen EVERY YEAR!

Better Yet – when the leaves fall off the trees and coat the “S” turns north of TC Martin and we get a rain, there are “crowd pleasers” in those turns and at the bottom…

If people take there time and do the posted speed limit there is NO problem. I haul a 31 Travel Trailer down this road once or twice a month and do not have a problem... then again; I grew up on this road and have driven it damn near everyday since I was 16.

Bottom line if you take a risk don't cry when the consequence happens...

 

[clevalley]

Interesting tidbit - was just talking with a close friend who happens to be one of CC finest... he said the impact of the car drove the SUV backwards....

I did not ask how far, but that is one hell of an impact neverless.

Guess-tamated speed is around 70+ - this is totally un-official

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

About 5 years ago, teenagers launched their car into the woods near Grosstown road (1/4 north of this accident) into a tree - people slowed down for a bit, but now it is forgotten and no one slows down.

I was there for that one also, wrapped it around a cedar tree, back bumper was with a foot of touching the front bumper. Took over an hour to get them out of the car.

Ive been in this area for 30 years and remember what Oliver Shop Rd was like before they improved it to what it is today.

 

[clevalley]

I was there for that one also, wrapped it around a cedar tree, back bumper was with a foot of touching the front bumper. Took over an hour to get them out of the car.

Ive been in this area for 30 years and remember what Oliver Shop Rd was like before they improved it to what it is today.

I never saw the car - just the aftermath and that was bad enough...

These roads are improved compared to what they have been and I am with you - I would LOVE to see OSR widened, a couple of times towing that TT down the road and having a dump truck coming the other way makes you pucker, but I just keep my speed down and my stuff on my half of the road!

BTW - neighbor!

 

[godsbutterfly]

Interesting tidbit - was just talking with a close friend who happens to be one of CC finest... he said the impact of the car drove the SUV backwards....

I did not ask how far, but that is one hell of an impact neverless.

Guess-tamated speed is around 70+ - this is totally un-official

Holy Heaven Father! And no seatbelts. I can't even think straight. Oh my goodness.

 

[CMC122]

I lost my Dad in an accident 32 years ago and my Grandmother still gets teary eyed to this day when he gets brought up. 4 more Momma's lost their babies in the last 24 hours and nothing will ever give them back, I just hope that someone learns SOMETHING from these senseless losses.

More prayers for all involved

 

[SeptemberLady]

Interesting tidbit - was just talking with a close friend who happens to be one of CC finest... he said the impact of the car drove the SUV backwards....

I did not ask how far, but that is one hell of an impact neverless.

Guess-tamated speed is around 70+ - this is totally un-official

Took Oliver Shop Road this morning to commute at Mattawoman Park n' Ride, and saw the area of the accident. Aftermath looked horrific. Very sad, and family is in my thoughts and prayers.

I don't know how much more it will take to get people to slow down on this road!! Right after the accident area, a small blue truck came flying up on our bumper, passing us on a double line. He/She was in a definite hurry...(I got your tag #). The person then proceeded to tail gate the car in front and road the center line trying to pass two vehicles!! UNREAL! I have seen a cop parked off the road there some mornings. Too bad he wasn't there this morning!

 

[itsbob]

We discussed this at length last night..

More traffic enforcement isn't possible, not enough cops, and not enough money to hire more for more or better enforcement..

We can't force people to buy slower cars, and we can't say.. no more licenses for people under 18/20 or 21..

What we can do is make cameras a legal form of enforcement (and I say this KNOWING it will cost me $$$ everytime I get caught)

We don't need a cop to set up or tear down a camera.. a county work crew can do it..

They are transportable so you'll never know where they are, but you may know that they are in an 'area'..

I would think we could buy 20 - 30 of these cameras for every cops office and have city crews randomly set them up in remote areas (don't think they'd be feasible on rte 4 and 235) EVERY day.. then move them somewhere else for a day or two.

People start getting tickets on these remote back roads, start hitting the kids in their wallets, and start taking their licenses.. they'll slow down. BUT we can't stop.. it's not a temporary solution where we do it for a week or two, and the problem is fixed.. we have to do it from now until eternity

Do you feel getting one or two camera speeding tickets would be worth saving a teenagers life??


I do!

 

[itsbob]

I also think we need to make teen licenses more stringent..

You viloate (ANY) you lose your license.. first time until you're 18.. Get your license back at 18 and do it again, you're of the road until you're 21..

This coupled with the above cameras..

After the first couple of "cool" 17 and 18 year olds are taking the bus to school, and telling their friends what happened.. yep.. they'll start slowing down.

 

[amotley]

I also think we need to make teen licenses more stringent..

You viloate (ANY) you lose your license.. first time until you're 18.. Get your license back at 18 and do it again, you're of the road until you're 21..

This coupled with the above cameras..

After the first couple of "cool" 17 and 18 year olds are taking the bus to school, and telling their friends what happened.. yep.. they'll start slowing down.

i agree!

 

[Inkpen]

Taking a license away does not work...a large percent still drive...not enough cops out there to enforce the revoked licenses.

Look how many drunk drives get caught..over and over and with out a license and they still get caught DWI.

No real solution to teen drivers dying in an auto wreck....execpt parents doing a better job of teaching thier kids defensive driving,a nd to wear a seat belt.

 

[itsbob]

Taking a license away does not work...a large percent still drive...not enough cops out there to enforce the revoked licenses.

Look how many drunk drives get caught..over and over and with out a license and they still get caught DWI.

No real solution to teen drivers dying in an auto wreck....execpt parents doing a better job of teaching thier kids defensive driving,a nd to wear a seat belt.

Not many teen drivers in fatals that have revoked licenses.. MOST of those are ADULTS..

You're mixing apples and oranges here. DWI.. getting caught without licenses.. and I think if you get caught post DUI without a license they should impound your car and sell it at auction.. ESPECIALLY if you are DUI the second time too!

Parents?? I thought the situation in the car with FOUR teenages with a teen driver was against the rules.. as were the lack of seatbelts.. Parents aren't going to change, and you can't make them change..

Do you think DAD will let JR continue to drive after getting two or three camera tickets??

Do you think Mom and Dad will let Jr continue to drive after losing his license??

If that's the case, then if the driver is <18.. the parents get nailed too.

 

[SeptemberLady]

Taking a license away does not work...a large percent still drive...not enough cops out there to enforce the revoked licenses.

Look how many drunk drives get caught..over and over and with out a license and they still get caught DWI.

No real solution to teen drivers dying in an auto wreck....execpt parents doing a better job of teaching thier kids defensive driving,a nd to wear a seat belt.[/QUOTE

Very true!

I was listening to NBC News last night, and they were asking people if the age should be moved up to 18 to get a drivers license. I agree. 77 percent polled said yes.

 

[godsbutterfly]

Not many teen drivers in fatals that have revoked licenses.. MOST of those are ADULTS..

You're mixing apples and oranges here. DWI.. getting caught without licenses..

Parents?? I thought the situation in the car with FOUR teenages with a teen driver was against the rules.. as were the lack of seatbelts.. Parents aren't going to change, and you can't make them change..

Do you think DAD will let JR continue to drive after getting two or three camera tickets??

Do you think Mom and Dad will let Jr continue to drive after losing his license??

If that's the case, then if the driver is <18.. the parents get nailed too.

Now that might be a plan - kids losing licenses plus holding parents responsible if underage kids drive without licenses. Of course it doesn't do anything for the irresponsible adults but if we can save some of these kids I'd go for it.

 

[Inkpen]

Not many teen drivers in fatals that have revoked licenses.. MOST of those are ADULTS..

You're mixing apples and oranges here. DWI.. getting caught without licenses.. and I think if you get caught post DUI without a license they should impound your car and sell it at auction.. ESPECIALLY if you are DUI the second time too!

Parents?? I thought the situation in the car with FOUR teenages with a teen driver was against the rules.. as were the lack of seatbelts.. Parents aren't going to change, and you can't make them change..

Do you think DAD will let JR continue to drive after getting two or three camera tickets??

Do you think Mom and Dad will let Jr continue to drive after losing his license??

If that's the case, then if the driver is <18.. the parents get nailed too.

Well, if parents are not going to change, then kids will keep getting killed.

And who knows what the deal was when the kid left home...maybe single parent?? Maybe he said he was not going to pick anyone up, yet he did anyway...maybe goofing off in the car and lost control?

And if adults dont get caught driving with out a license, what makes you think a kid is gonna get caught?

Folks go off to work, kid takes car and drives....
Or the kids go and drive a friends car....

If there is a will there is a way and kids die.

Somehting about the belief they have that it wont happen to them.

A belief that one grows out of over time.

 

[Plan B]

Gps

My son is 15, and I hope to get one of those GPS responders that send a msg when the driver speeds, goes out of allowed range, accelerates or brakes hard, yada...

 

[itsbob]

And again.. you get the first kids riding the bus to school.. that were driving last week.. and they are going to talk. once the ohter kids realize they CAN and WILL lose their license they'll be less tempted to do something that will cause them to ride the bus again.

Right now there are no repercussions for them (other than death) to stop driving stupid.. and the thought of riding the bus is probably 100 times worse than the thought of their invincible asses being found dead behind the wheel.

 

[itsbob]

Well, if parents are not going to change, then kids will keep getting killed.

And who knows what the deal was when the kid left home...maybe single parent?? Maybe he said he was not going to pick anyone up, yet he did anyway...maybe goofing off in the car and lost control?

And if adults dont get caught driving with out a license, what makes you think a kid is gonna get caught?

Folks go off to work, kid takes car and drives....
Or the kids go and drive a friends car....

If there is a will there is a way and kids die.

Somehting about the belief they have that it wont happen to them.

A belief that one grows out of over time.

So you're suggesting we do NOTHING, and just let our teenagers continue to die, becasue yanno, kids will be kids??



How compassionate..

I'm sorry, being a father of five, of which 3 are teenagers, I think it's time we stepped up and DID something to prevent the next teenager from suffering the same fate.

 

[clevalley]

Taking a license away does not work...a large percent still drive...not enough cops out there to enforce the revoked licenses.

Look how many drunk drives get caught..over and over and with out a license and they still get caught DWI.

That is a problem with the justice system - when that happens they need to be punished severely and stick with the sentencing...

No real solution to teen drivers dying in an auto wreck....execpt parents doing a better job of teaching thier kids defensive driving,a nd to wear a seat belt.

Defensive driving is a - my dad did it with me and it made me a better driver, unfortunately this is not the case with this accident (we all know this). It was out of "it will not happen to me" syndrome.

The speeds they were going at, seatbelts probably would not have saved them... :shrug: