EASTON, Md. - A busy intersection in an Easton neighborhood is raising concerns after a sudden increase in accidents.
The intersection of S Aurora Street and Brookletts Avenue has seen 11 accidents over the past 13 years—an average of less than one per year. However, in February alone, there have already been three crashes, prompting police to take a closer look.
Debris, including pieces of cars and a bumper, was seen scattered along Brookletts Avenue following recent incidents.
"We've had the town engineer take a look at the traffic light, and this appears to be drivers just not paying attention," said Capt. Greg Wright of the Easton Police Department.
The intersection is often congested, with vehicles backing up at red lights and drivers maneuvering quickly once the light turns green. Wright believes the rise in accidents may be due to drivers racing through red lights or being distracted by their phones.
Easton resident Erin Miller agrees but said she doesn’t plan to change her driving habits, aside from being extra cautious.
"I would say that I'm a pretty safe driver and cautious, and I feel like I haven't had any concerning issues with that particular intersection that would cause me to do anything differently," Miller said.
To address the issue, police have increased patrols in the area.
"We have been doing extra traffic assignments for officers to target that intersection, just to see if they catch any violators or to see if there's any other causes," Wright said.
So far, officers have not identified a clear cause, and while discussions about adjusting the traffic pattern have taken place, no changes have been decided.