June Proving Deadly on Carroll County Roads

Saturday's fatal motorcycle accident in New Windsor marked the fourth vehicular death on Carroll County roads in six days and a total of five vehicle fatalities in the month of June. Police say they see this as a spike, not a trend. 

On June 15, Brandon Coates, a 24-year-old Frederick man died after his motorcycle struck a car that failed to yield to the right-of-way on West Watersville Road in Mount Airy.

On June 14 a 60-year-old man died after trying to pass vehicles on Rt. 31 in New Windsor and hitting a truck head on. 

On June 10 an 18-year-old Virginia girl died after she passed several vehicles and lost control of her car on Rt. 194 near Taneytown.

On June 10, a 57-year-old Sykesville resident was killed when she lost control of her car and crashed into another along Maryland Rt. 32 just north of Springfield Avenue. 

In June 2012, there were only two crashes resulting in two fatalities on Carroll County roads compared to five so far in June 2013.  

Based on a report by the MD Highway Safety Office, fatal accidents in Maryland often peak in May through July. According to the report, between 2007-2011 there were an average of 47 fatal accidents on Maryland roads in May, June and July as opposed to an average of 36 in January and 31 in February for the same years. 

Greg Shipley, a spokesman for the Maryland State Police said the recent fatalities in Carroll County are viewed as a spike and not a trend.  

"The collisions are not in any one general area, but are all over the county," Shipley told Patch. "All of the four most recent crashes appear to be caused by driver error, but investigations are still continuing and the information is preliminary."  

Shipley said that warmer weather, schools being closed and people vacationing leads to more vehicles on the road and the potential for more accidents. 

And with warmer weather comes more motorcycles on the road, according to Shipley. 

"Motorcycles can be hard to see, which can lead to drivers pulling out in front of them.  When that occurs, there is little the motorcycle operator can do," Shipley said.  "Even if he/she lays the bike down, they risk serious injury."   

Shipley said that each May the state police stress summer traffic enforcement initiatives and remind drivers that increased traffic and a 'summer attitude' can lead to potential tragedy.

"Drinking and driving, aggressive driving, distracted driving, and not wearing seat belts, can all lead to injuries/fatalities, of course at any time of the year," Shipley said.    

Driver error is also a major issue Shipley said.

"As you can see in the last four fatalities [in Carroll County], driver error seems to be the cause," Shipley said.  "This means thinking 'I can pass all three of those vehicles and duck back in before I reach that curve, or before I reach that approaching vehicle'."   

It's important for motorists to be actively engaged in the act of driving whenever they are behind the wheel, Shipley said.  

"That means eliminating distractions and thinking about what they are doing and about what other drivers might be doing, in order to always be ready to respond."