There have been several fatal accidents at the intersection of Highways 154 and 246 over the last few years and now Caltrans is looking into how they can make this intersection safer. While it is still very early in the process for redesigning this intersection the ideas of installing a traffic signal or a roundabout (aka traffic circle) have been discussed.
In this article they talk about an accident that just occurred on June 2nd at this very intersection.
…an 81-year-old Santa Maria man was killed at the
intersection in a two-vehicle collision.The crash occurred after the victim
reportedly pulled out in front of full-sized pickup driven by a
Sacramento man traveling at about 55 mph eastbound on Highway 154,
according to the California Highway Patrol.The victim was stopped at a stop sign on Highway 246 before
entering the intersection, where he was broadsided, the CHP
said.
There were other fatal crashes at this location in May 2008, November 2006, April and August 2007.
People always have mixed reactions when new traffic safety measures are implemented. Some people are grateful for the added protection and yet others can be angry because they feel their lives have been “infringed” upon.
One thing’s for sure, I’ve worked with a lot of car accident victims and if there’s something as simple as a roundabout, or traffic signal, that can save someone’s life, or prevent an accident from happening, it’s a good thing.
