Part 1 was published yesterday and includes statistics on recent traffic accidents in Oro Valley and where they occurred.---
Why do traffic accidents seem to be occurring more frequently?
Besides speeding, running red lights, and failure to yield the right of way, my take on why accidents are occurring more frequency is due to the fact that most intersections today have 4-6 lanes of traffic in each direction. There are too many lanes of traffic to monitor and negotiate, multiple traffic lights at each intersection, multiple signs (in other words, too many distractions/sensory overload), and too many options (such as U-turns being allowed at the same intersection where a right-on-red is also allowed). It becomes nearly impossible to anticipate what the other drivers are going to do.
Years ago, roads were all one lane in each direction with just one traffic light. If you wanted to turn left, you weren’t doing so in front of multiple lanes of oncoming traffic.
Additionally, at the intersections that allow U-turns
and right-on-red, although there is a sign stating, “U-turn
yield to right turn” there have been numerous instances when the person making the U-turn has failed to yield the right of way as I’m making a right on red. Instead, they give me the horn as they’re about to plow into me. I get blamed (and nearly killed) for
their failure to yield! Could it be that they didn’t see the yield sign as they were trying to negotiate multiple lanes of traffic? Sensory overload?
I understand that right-on-red and having multiple lanes of traffic is meant to help with traffic flow, but there have been “unintended consequences.”
Why are auto accidents more serious today?
Vehicles today are much larger and weigh much more than the automobiles of past decades. Getting hit with a 3,000 pound Volkswagon Beetle in the 1970’s was much less damaging than getting hit with a 5,000 pound Chevy Silverado pickup truck today.
According to Road & Track (my husband is a car guy): “Average vehicle weights have slowly and steadily increased in recent decades, due mainly to the swelling popularity of trucks and SUV’s.” The more weight, the greater the chance of sustaining serious injuries or a fatality.
There are also a lot of electric trucks on the road now “and they often weigh at least a ton more than their [gas] powered equivalents.” A Ford F-150 weighs 4,700 pounds; the electric version weighs 6,855 pounds. A Hummer weighs 7,560 pounds; the electric version weighs 9,640 pounds! Additionally, some of the larger electric vehicles have horsepower ratings from 600 to 1,000 and can reach speeds of 60 mph in 3 seconds!
Today, if you’re driving a 3,700 pound Lexus ES Sedan and you’re hit with a 7,500 to 9,600 pound Hummer, you’re going to end up on the worst end of that collision.
The following advice is courtesy of Town Engineer, Paul Keesler, on how to avoid being in a traffic accident.
Always employ defensive driver techniques as one negotiates an intersection
If you are first in line when the light turns green, pause for a moment before proceeding to make sure that opposing traffic is not running the light.
If you are approaching an intersection and can be within the midst of a pack of other drivers, do so, as there is safety in numbers.
If you are approaching an intersection solo, keep a close eye on the movements of the driver making a left turn in front of you. Slow up a bit anticipating that you may need to brake.
Do the same when traveling in the outside lane with respect to opposing traffic possibly making a right on red. Be anticipative that they may pull out in front of you.
If you are making a left turn at an intersection and you have a green light, but you do
not have a green arrow, do not attempt to go if you cannot see all oncoming traffic lanes.
Do not run red lights at all, for any reason, at any time!
Red light running is a nationwide epidemic. It’s not only dangerous, but deadly in many cases. Oro Valley is not immune to this cause of fatality. When one runs a red light, they are placing the 1-2 minutes of their time-delay inconvenience as being more valuable than the life of someone else.
A yellow light does not mean to speed up to try to beat the light
A yellow light means “Slow Down.” Yes, there is a realistic point of no return where the signal will turn yellow and you are too close to stop, but if the signal turns yellow and there is ample distance for you to stop – do so.
If the signal turns yellow, but by the time you are going through the intersection the light turns red, you did not follow the rules and slow down to stop when the yellow light occurred.
Safe traffic management takes the efforts of everyone. If we all obey the rules of the road, and drive defensively, it will be a lot safer out there.
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Diane Peters has lived in Oro Valley since 2003, moving here to escape the humidity of the East Coast. She’s been involved in OV politics and development issues since 2006, including organizing a citizens group that negotiated a controversial 200-acre development project. In her past life, she worked in various medical specialties at three university hospitals in New England. Her interests include reading, writing, nature photography, travel, art galleries, museums, and politics.
