Weather Causing Fender Benders in Edgewater Wednesday

Central Ave (MD214) near Selby Blvd. (©MWStephenson2012)

I don’t know a lot of the more science-y meteorological terms, but if I had Justin Berk’s weatherman cap on, I’d categorize today as “yucky.”

That said, we should consider ourselves lucky though because we’ve been spared the tornadoes and snow plaguing neighboring states to the west and north.

Here is a SR Source Quiz for Leap Day:

Q: What is the first thing you get in Maryland with heavy rain/bad weather?

A. 1. Bad drivers
2. Flooding on main thoroughfares
3. Car accidents
4. Weather forecasters telling and showing you over and over that it is, in fact, raining
5. All of the above

If you answered “5″ you can pat yourself on the back.

There have already been two accidents in our area, one involving a single car vs. guardrail along Route 50 near Davidsonville Road. There was another crash on Central Avenue just west of the Old Stein Inn. Both happened around 11:30 a.m., and both were quickly cleared.

Central Ave. between Beards Point Road and Fern Hill Court, no flooding this time. (©MWStephenson2012)

Surprisingly, Central Avenue between Beards Point Road and Fern Hill Court isn’t flooded. However, there are many roadways with standing water. As of 1 p.m., the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has no reported road closures due to flooding in Anne Arundel County. We will update this story in the comments if that changes.

The rain should stop in the early afternoon and then return and continue to rain through midnight—making sure commutes in the evening rush will be involved (thanks Mother Nature).

We checked in with Midatlantic AAA here is what they had to say about driving in wet weather.

• Leave room between you and the driver in front of you.
  

  An accident on 214 near Weirs Road in Edgewater involved two cars, a small pickup truck and a small black sedan. (©MWStephenson2012)

• Don’t drive through standing water if you don’t know how deep it is.
• Replace windshield wipers every six to 12 months, or as needed.
• Make sure your tires are in good condition with enough tread to drive in the rain.
• Steer into a skid or hydroplane and don’t brake or accelerate suddenly.
• Slow down. Even at speeds as low as 35 MPH, tires can get atop the rain and hydroplane.

Stay safe out there!