Another Highway 89 Head-on Collision (Prescott, Prescott Valley: casino, live in, safety)

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by Esenjay

Most accidents come down to the individual rather than mechanical or environmental issue.. Problem lies with the people who, as Dan said, are distracted. Cell phones, looking off at the mountains, changing the radio, shuffling around in the glove box, etc. One lapse of awareness is all it takes.

Yup. Could also be unsafe passing. I see a lot of that, particularly during "rush hour".

Since you mention changing the radio, it is interesting to note that car radios were illegal in some states way back. Car radios have acquired more and smaller buttons, with small print on them. The old 5 station buttons made it much safer to change stations while driving, as did the Wonder Bar. The foot button for the Wonder Bar made it even safer. We have gone backward in that particular area of driving safety.

Another distraction is smoking. I was hit once by a person lighting a cigarette while driving.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

A letter in the paper says at least 15 crosses are on that road.

Yes, there are almost 100 comments on that article and most of them are for redesigning that road and about how unsafe that road is.

That road has claimed a lot of lives, especially in the past 10 years with all the new growth. That road was OK to handle the traffic back in 2000 but it is no longer able to safely handle the additional traffic due to the growth in the tri-city.

[keninaz]

And I would bet that all of the people that want it changed none of them would be willing to spend a dime to change it.

[Woundedknee]

That stretch of road insists that your attentive.

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by DellNec

Yes, there are almost 100 comments on that article and most of them are for redesigning that road and about how unsafe that road is.

That road has claimed a lot of lives, especially in the past 10 years with all the new growth. That road was OK to handle the traffic back in 2000 but it is no longer able to safely handle the additional traffic due to the growth in the tri-city.

I wonder how the writers would redesign it. Which would be more effective, adding lanes or a divider? I don't have any idea of expense, but a divider would prevent or minimize this type of accident, and adding lanes would make traffic flow better.

Of course, both would be most desirable. When choosing between one and the other, which would be the goal, safety or traffic flow?

[Esenjay]

Originally Posted by keninaz

Adn I would bet that all of the people that want it changed none of them would be willing to spend a dime to change it.

Indeed, the most vocal members of the community have a tendency to disappear when the collection plate gets passed around--these same people that exhort anyone who will listen that changes are needed are the same ones that scream just as loud when their own finances are affected. Somewhat hypocritical, seems to me.

Would be nice if the state could cover the costs but given the state of the economy and local/state government budgets, and the other items that are pretty darn important as well--this road does not appear to be the most pressing concern.

[keninaz]

And just a note on the typical dividers they separate these roads with.
Where I came from before I returned to AZ I saw a couple of them done with the barricades that have the pyramid style bottom
If a higher profile SUV or truck hits those at a sharp angle at and speed they can catapult over the barrier. The tires are in many cases large enough and the bumpers and such are high enough that they just ride up the barrier and over them..
I suppose nothing is absolute in fixing a problem though.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

I wonder how the writers would redesign it. Which would be more effective, adding lanes or a divider? I don't have any idea of expense, but a divider would prevent or minimize this type of accident, and adding lanes would make traffic flow better.

Of course, both would be most desirable. When choosing between one and the other, which would be the goal, safety or traffic flow?

It would be best do to both. A concrete barrier would stop the head-on collisions which are by-far the most dangerous type of collision, just like the one that happened the other day.

Adding another lane to each direction would help cut back the traffic jams. In the end, I believe the state/county will do both. Add lanes and a barrier.

[Esenjay]

You are correct--I've had that happen in front of me on a SoCal freeway. Truck catapulted over the barrier ahead of me and I barely stopped in time to avoid getting hit. The SUV next to me that couldn't stop as quickly hit the truck. Driver of the SUV will have permanent brain damage the rest of their life, the driver of the truck had multiple injuries including losing an eye.

There are never 100% solutions. You can try to pad things, to build a nanny state that protects people from themselves--but things will happen, they always happen. The best weapon against bad habits is to make people accountable for their actions and provide them the knowledge they need to be responsible; factual knowledge, not extreme nonsense that's more alarmism than truth.

[DellNec]

Well, another serious wreck on highway 89. Three people seriously injured:

Photo: Three injured in 2-car crash - The Prescott Daily Courier - Prescott, Arizona