FLORENCE, SC (WBTW)- If you drive down any major road in Florence around five pm or during your morning commute, you’re likely to hit heavy traffic, and like many in the area, you may choose to use cut-through neighborhoods to try and avoid some of that congestion.
Officers with the Florence Police Department say this causes major safety problems for drivers and residents.
Police say roadways people use as cut-throughs to major roads in the city have become popular places to speed.
Douglas McDade works for the U.S. Postal Service, and he says he sees it all the time on his daily route.
“To cut off having to go through the lights and traffic on Irby Street, they’ll shoot down here. Yeah, I’d say they probably go 40-45 miles per hour,” said McDade.
The speed limit on South Damon Drive is 30 miles per hour, but people in the area say they’ve seen drivers go more than 20 miles over that, and police say that’s a problem because small children live and play in the area.
With recent hit-and-runs in the city, officers ask that drivers be more careful.
“There is a speed limit, it’s posted for a reason,” said Chief Allen Heidler.
Heidler says the problem is that drivers are more distracted than ever.
“They’re trying to text message or do other things with their cellular phone. They have to take their eyes off the road, and certainly that endangers other people on the highway,” said Heidler.
No matter the distraction, speed 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, and you could face a $180 fine and four points against your license.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, many of the worst motor vehicle crashes in the nation happen on neighborhood streets.
Officers say that’s because drivers become comfortable and complacent and are not as mindful of their surroundings.