At a recent Community Office Hours, I had the opportunity to hear from longtime South Hadley resident Ray Rondeau. Mr. Rondeau explained to me, like many other residents have during my community conversations, that the aggressive driving in South Hadley is at an all-time high.

I agree that driving habits have changed for the worse and this is a threat to the safety of our community. Speeding is a dangerous habit that contributes to many fatal accidents each year. Speed and aggressive driving were a contributing factor in the April 2023 fatal crash on River Road. The majority of our South Hadley roads are 30 mph zones, and the traveling speed is in excess of 40 mph, consistently.

This is a national problem that most communities are struggling with. Some reasons behind excessive speeding are often based in vehicle operators feeling time pressure (needing to make up lost time, but speeding rarely reduces travel time), overconfidence of the operators’ skills (increased crash data shows that the skills are not there), and operators underestimating the risk of aggressive driving, (again, crashes are on the rise so the risk is real).

Powerful vehicles also contribute to this as today’s passenger vehicles are powerful, smooth, and well-insulated, making it easy to go over the speed limit without realizing it. Another factor is anonymity, as drivers who frequently speed may feel detached and anonymous, and mistakenly believe their behavior is acceptable. You are not anonymous, and your neighbors see you and are scared for their safety.

Residents have told me that they fear driving on some roads, they are scared when their children are at the bus stop, they are scared when they are trying to cross the street at clearly marked crosswalks, they are scared when they get their mail at the end of their driveway. Enforcement by the Police Department has limited effect, as these poor driving habits continue when we are not present.

Additionally, SHPD also has limited resources each shift available to be assigned to problem roads. I have received complaints for speeding on most streets in South Hadley (including dead-ends?) and to be clear this isn’t a problem of motorists who travel through South Hadley to get to another destination. The majority of our speeding violations are South Hadley residents; this is a problem with the way WE drive.

Please, we need your help. Slow down, pay attention, and be respectful. Look at your speed and know that the 30 seconds you gain with speeding is not worth the risk to others.

South Hadley also needs further evaluation of traffic calming measures in the design of our roadways. These measures — speed humps, narrower roads, one-direction roads, pinch points, wider sidewalks, bike/pedestrian lanes — are costly but are a necessary investment as a multifaceted approach to improving traffic safety and enhanced calming traffic.

I’d like to hear your feedback. I conduct Office Hours monthly and the locations vary between the Senior Center, library and local businesses. Please look at our socials (Facebook/Instragram) or the Gazette to find the next Office Hours date and time. I can also be emailed at gundersenj@southhadleypolice.org or called at 413-538-5050.

Jennifer Gundersen is police chief in South Hadley.