Work together to solve problems

Our front-page story in the Jan. 24 edition highlighted the efforts a Milton couple has made to slow down drivers in front of their home. The story was a lightning rod for social media, even before it was printed in our pages. If one positive thing came out of the kerfuffle, it’s that the community is having a much-needed discussion about public safety, and that topic will be on the agenda at Milton Town Council’s February monthly meeting 

But calls for safer streets and sidewalks are not limited to Milton. A recent letter to the editor highlighted similar issues in Rehoboth Beach. We’ve also printed letters and written editorials about unsafe conditions on Route 1.

These aren’t just idle concerns; they reflect the daily realities of people living in and traveling through areas they feel are unsafe. When a community consistently voices concerns about speeding cars and reckless driving, those voices deserve to be heard, and action must follow.

Public safety should always be a top priority for elected officials, whether it's at the municipal, county or state level. When drivers speed through residential neighborhoods, they are not just violating traffic laws; they are also threatening lives, causing unnecessary risks for everyone.

What Milton residents are asking for is simple: They want their streets to be safe. This isn’t about overregulation or unnecessary restriction; it’s about drivers respecting the neighborhoods they pass through. Recording and posting photographs and videos of drivers on the internet may not have been the best approach to addressing the situation, but these residents didn’t think their voices were being heard, and they took action. 

On the flip side, drivers honking their horns and revving their engines in retaliation as they pass the couple’s home are childish acts. Shaming the residents on social media for trying to make their neighborhood safer is just as immature. 

Everyone should have the same goal in mind – a safer environment for drivers, residents and anyone who uses the streets. Be neighborly. Be kind. Have an honest but cordial conversation, and try to work together to find common ground as well as a solution that works for everyone in the community.