ICYMI: Owings Mills Residents Sound Off on Safety Issues

OWINGS MILLS, MD– Sunday morning in Baltimore, a cruise ship crashed into a gangway, causing the gangway to fall and damage three cars underneath, according to a statement by Carnival to WBAL editor Mia Rosas.

While worrying about death by rogue cruise ship isn’t something to lose sleep over, there are other possible dangers that affect Owings Mills residents.

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We asked Patch Readers what they thought the biggest safety issues were in their town. Here’s a list of the most pressing problems, from break-ins to traffic jams:

• "Bad drivers. There are so many around here. Also, people crossing in the middle of street and standing in the turning lanes. Like seriously, don't be so lazy. Walk to the corner or at least wait until it's clear to walk across smh"
• "Drug related crimes!"
• "Speed on side streets. Drive 25 and keep a kid alive! Children are playing outside now that the weather is warming up. Also, PARENTS - your kids should be in bed at 8:00pm on a Sunday night, not knocking their neighbor's door to ask permission to shoot hoops in their yards!!!!"
• "People driving too fast and recklessly. Please slow down and pay attention!"
• "Speeding on side streets where kids run out between cars and poor animals get run over or into. Speeding but also tailgating those who ACTUALLY are driving the speed limit as if you can intimidate or bully me into going faster."
• "Kids on bikes zig-zagging across lanes on busy streets"
• "Oblivious drivers and pedestrians...actually a d*mn safe place otherwise. Low to moderate drug related crime. Barely any violent crime."

According to HealthGrove, a medical news site, dying by assault is more common in Maryland than many other states. There are 6.7 deaths per 100,000 in the state from assault, compared to 3.2 deaths per 100,000 for the country.

And it’s not just assault. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 442 traffic fatalities in 2014, thankfully down from 614 deaths almost a decade earlier.

But it’s not all bad in Maryland!

From lucky moms winning the lottery to animal success stories, plenty of good happens in your neighborhood.

Just last week, a humpback whale was spotted breaching in the Chesapeake Bay. Humpback whales may soon be moving off the endangered species list, where they’ve been since 1970, after an increase in population.

Each week, Patch works to bring Owings Mills residents the latest news from their area. Some good, some bad and some delicious.

Is there an problem that wasn’t mentioned? Share it with us in the comments below or on our Owings Mills Patch Facebook page.