Intersection safe enough, drivers aren't

CommerceNewsTODAY

RSS Feed

Email Alerts

Facebook

Intersection safe enough, drivers aren't

Posted by

Mark Beardsley

in Opinions

Friday, October 8. 2010

Comments (5)

In spite of the two fatalities last week at the intersection of U.S. 441 and Hwy. 326, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the intersection — except the driving of some of the people who pass through it.

Every time there is a fatality, calls arise for the installation of a traffic light, as if that’s a magic cure for bad driving. If it were, there wouldn’t be so many accidents at the next intersections in each direction on the U.S. 441 bypass.

Maybe the Georgia State Patrol will come up with an explanation for why a driver pulled into the path of an oncoming vehicle, but we’ll hazard a guess. The driver, after crossing the southbound lane did not look over the northbound lane to see oncoming traffic.

The DOT has installed a blinking light and stop signs. Any driver realizes that on approaching the bypass from either direction on Hwy. 326, he or she is required to stop. Typically, that’s not where the problem arises. Where drivers go wrong is they stop at the stop sign, look in only one direction for oncoming traffic in the nearest two lanes, cross those and then try to cross the further two lanes without making sure those two lanes are also clear of oncoming traffic.

The intersection is adequately designed and well marked and there is plenty of visibility in all directions. The wrecks that occur too frequently are the result of driver inattention, carelessness or inexperience.

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 Melanie and Donna on 10/11/10 at 10:53 AM [Reply]

We travel this road everyday. The road is not marked at all in the middle. Cars that are turning have no idea of which side of the road they are supposed to be on and they are coming from all sorts of directions. Arrows should be on the road directing drivers. I do agree that some fatalities were driver errors, but not all of them. Shame on GA DOT for putting all of the blame on drivers. It seems to us if there has been 8 fatalities (as reported on the news), something is clearly wrong with this intersection.

#2 CSM on 10/13/10 at 01:38 PM [Reply]

I agree with M&D, we live right off of State street and it is very dangerous. I usually cut thru town just so I can avoid it. Whether people are teriible drivers or not the intersection is indeed dangerous.In my opinion the author of this irrational crap stated above (Mark Beadsley)is an idiot. Apparently he has never had to deal with this intersection as much as the rest of us have. Ask any residence who lives close by and they will tell you. I consider my self a good driver, but I can not account for eveyone else on this road. When you have a intersection at the top of a hill with State Street ending at the bottom of a hill and HWY 326 stopping at the top of a hill, how is that plenty of visibility. Also cars fly up and down that strip. You have the possiblity for cars comeing North and South bound lanes as well as for east and west. Mark you are truly stupid if you think a red light would not help the safetly of this intersection.

#2.1 Mark Beardsley on 10/14/10 at 03:40 PM [Reply]

I believe you have proven my point.

I, your "idiot," drive through that intersection at least two to three times a week, probably 1,000 times or more since the bypass opened, yet I have never been in a wreck or caused a wreck there. If even an idiot — your hypothesis — can safely negotiate that intersection countless times, how can you fault the DOT for its design?

Clearly, the DOT has designed an idiot-proof intersection. That accepted — again according to your analysis — then perhaps we should attribute those accidents to driver error caused by inattention, carelessness or distraction.

Maybe a stoplight would help, but the number of wrecks occurring at the Hwy. 59 and Hwy. 98 lights suggests otherwise. What might improve safety at those intersections — and Hwy. 326 if a light is installed — would be traffic enforcement cameras to deter people who might otherwise be tempted to run those red lights. I'm guessing there would be zero tolerance among the anonymous bloggers for that approach to improving driver safety.

#3 Richard Dills on 10/16/10 at 07:44 AM [Reply]

I'm so amused at the way people wont to call other people names, and try to put them down but dont have enough courage about them self to give there own name. I live 1/4 mile from the crossing on State street,if you dont know how to drive through a crossing wait until NO other vehicle is coming in either direction and then cross. Slow down people enjoy the time that God has given to you. But DON'T knock other people trying to make yourself feel better about your own shortcomings! Thank you Mark for all you do for Commerce.

#4 CSM on 10/18/10 at 09:03 AM [Reply]

Ok so maybe I shouldn't have stooped so low to call you an idoit, but I drive thru this intersection everyday, munerous times. I myself have never caused and accident or been involved in one, but i have seen numerous ones. Just as you stated. I also stated that I consider myself a good driver but I can not account for everyone else, just as you stated. I also said people drive to fast up and down 441, just as you stated. I do not however agree with you that there is plently of visibility. Sorry to have called you a idoit and hurt your feelings. Yes there are still accidents at redlights at every intersection all over the county, but a red light does help more than hinder in this case. Next time I will not use low brow names, if you use common sense. Again this was written in the opinions and I gave my opinion. Everyone assumes people know how to drive thru and intersection, but I see it everyday that most do not. I know I can drive, but it's everybody else I worry about.

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is eight minus three?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

Community

Commerce Community

Intersection safe enough, drivers aren't

CommerceNewsTODAY

Intersection safe enough, drivers aren't

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags