How dangerous is the Beverly Five Lane?

The Beverly Five Lane in Randolph County, it's a busy road and many times, people drive too fast.

"It's usually about ten over. If it's 45, they're usually doing 50-55, sometimes it's faster" says Ronald Belt First Sgt. of the Elkins Police Department.

Near businesses, the speed limit is 45mph, but the further out you go, the speed limit increases to 55mph. Some say the speed limit isn't the issue, it's the fact that people don't follow it.

"No, I think that we should just, people should just follow it more, you know, maybe enforce it more if we have to," says Elkins resident Mya Vell.

But speed on the five Lane isn't the only concern.

"The problem is people texting and driving. A lot of people just don't pay attention or speed limits not really an issue, a lot of people just [drive] 65-70 through here, which I mean, if you can handle that, it's one story, but yeah, they just don't like to pay attention" says Elkins resident Trey Bodkin.

Vell adds, "Cutting people off when it's bad weather they drive like it's still summer and it's not good, a lot of accidents happen."

The most recent accident was the fatal one that happened just this past Monday, and the Elkins Police Department says that there have been two fatal accidents in total on the Five Lane in the past year.

"January to March 2017, we've had 42 accidents from the last year, compared to this year, so far we've only had 27, so the numbers actually down for accidents this year," says First Sgt. Belt.

Even though the number of reported accidents are down, First Sgt. Belt says that it's always important to be careful and alert.

"Stay off your phones, don't be texting and driving. If you have Bluetooth, use your Bluetooth, or don't use your phone at all. Speed limits, just watching what you're doing and what other drivers are doing around you" says First Sgt. Belt.