Patch Readers Sound Off on Stop Signs in Elkridge

ELKRIDGE, MD--If you’ve noticed an intersection in your neighborhood that could use a stop sign, you’re not alone.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that one-third of all intersection crashes in the United States occur at crossings controlled by stop signs. While they aren’t a perfect solution to dangerous intersections, studies have shown that installing all-way signs can reduce accidents by 40 to 60 percent.

When we asked Patch Readers in Elkridge where they wanted to see a stop sign, some asked for stoplights while others just requested that drivers stop at the signs that are already in place. That’s not too much to ask according to a report from the Federal Highway Administration that showed the simple, and cheap, addition of “Stop Ahead” wording on roadways reduced accidents at controlled intersections by 15 percent.

We realize that no one knows the roads in Elkridge better than its residents. Here’s what Patch Readers shared with us about their neighborhood’s intersections:

• "Old Washington and Montgomery roads. Also Old Washington needs speed bumps before a child gets hit by a car getting on or off the bus. Cars are speeding around the buses or don't stop." "Old Washington and Old Montgomery should be a full 3-way stop."
• "I'd like to see flashing yellow to slow folks coming down RT 1 Hill where people are turning left onto Old Washington and before the business district"
• "Landing Rd & Montgomery Rd."
• "Marshalee and Montgomery"

Is there a dangerous intersection on your block that didn’t make the list? Share it with us in the comments below or on our Elkridge Patch Facebook page.