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Keep an eye on intersections this Memorial Day Weekend

By WTOP Staff

Meera Pal, wtop.com
John Aaron, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Days before what is predicted to be the most congested Memorial Day weekend in years, a new study warns the holiday travel period is the worst when it comes to red-light violations.

“People are anxious to get where they’re going,” says David Kelly, president and executive director of the National Coalition for Safer Roads.

“They’re not paying attention in the car to what they’re doing, they’re rushed because they’re in traffic, there’s so many different reasons,” he says.

In Maryland, the report found 700 violations Memorial Day last year and more than 200 violations in Virginia, specifically in Alexandria and Falls Church.

Memorial Day weekend saw a total of 26,787 red-light violations nationwide, when compared to average weekend violations of 19,388.

The coalition released its first-ever “Safer Roads Report 2012: Trends in Red-Light Running” which found that more than 2.3 million drivers in 18 states ran red lights in 2011.

However, there were more red-light violations over the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends than Memorial Day in Maryland.

“Also very busy travel weekends. A lot of people on the roads; lots of incidences of drinking and driving,” Kelly says.

Across the country, Christmas had the lowest number of violations in 2011, with 3,859.

Intersection-related vehicle accidents caused more than 8,500 deaths last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The new study also looked at the times of the day, in addition to the days of the week when drivers are most likely to run a red light.

The coalition found Friday is the worst day of the week for intersection safety. Safety cameras caught 378,122 red-light violations on Friday. Sunday was the safest, with 289,603 violations.

The afternoon (between 1 and 5 p.m.) was also the worst for red-light violations, with more than 30 percent of violations happening during the afternoon period.

The fewest violations occurred during the late night hours (between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), which makes sense since there are fewer people on the road during late night hours.

The analyzed cameras caught a total of 2,341,761 red light violations in 2011. Each camera recorded, an average of 1,889 violations during the year.

The study concludes “there is no time on the road when you are not at risk of encountering a red-light violator”

“We do want people to be more vigilant behind the wheel. Take responsibility for your actions. Make sure that you are not running yellow lights. A yellow light does not mean to go faster – it means to stop,” he says.

Overall red-light violations by holiday travel periods:

  1. Memorial Day (Friday, May 27 – Monday, May 30) – 26,787
  2. Independence Day (Friday, July 1 – Monday, July 4) – 25,874
  3. Halloween (Friday, October 28 – Monday, October 31) – 24,700
  4. Labor Day (Friday, Sept. 2- Monday, Sept. 5) – 24, 795
  5. Super Bowl (Friday, Feb 4 – Sunday, Feb. 6) – 18,472
  6. Christmas (Friday, Dec. 23 – Monday, Dec. 26) – 20,459
  7. Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 24 – Sunday, Nov. 27) – 19,713

To read the full study by the National Coalition for Safer Roads, follow this link.

Follow John and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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