When an intersection is the repeated site of horrible accidents, officials will eventually wise up and respond with preventative measures. That’s exactly what’s happening at the intersection of North Eldridge Parkway and Patterson Road in Houston—the site of numerous fatal car accidents in the last several years.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the intersection has been the site of 23 fatal accidents since 2003, and these accidents have resulted in a total of 26 deaths. On the single strip of roadway, 532 accidents were reported between the first of 2008 and June 30 of this year. Incidentally, the strip of road we are talking about is less than two miles long.
The city of Houston reports that the case of these accidents was mostly speed or traffic violations, like failure to stay in a single lane. That was the cause of the latest fatal accident, on June 20 of this year, when three people died as a Mustang hydroplaned into oncoming traffic.
The traffic signal is ready to go but won’t be installed until next April, when electricity is ready in the area. Officials say that while they hope the light will change the dangerousness of the intersection, the results will lie with drivers, not the new equipment.
“There is nothing you can do, engineering-wise, to control driver behavior,” says Public Works and Engineering spokesman Alvin Wright. “However, what we can do is put in devices that provide more efficient traffic control.”
Until April, when the signal is put in, the roadway will remain an accident hot spot. Last week, Houston Police cracked down on speeders in the area after a woman with life-threatening injuries was airlifted from an accident. She is expected to live. Her crash was attributed to speed, so the HPD spent several days on the stretch of road, doling out tickets to speeders.
There are many unsafe intersections and strips of road like this in Houston and surrounding areas—where curves lead to blind intersections, speeders take advantage of an open road without a stop light, or where people just frequently find themselves narrowly avoiding an accident. These strips of road are often flawed in design, and things like traffic signals can instill some safety into an otherwise unsafe area.
Houston Accident Attorney Kevin Krist
When you are involved in a serious car accident, you don’t have time to worry about who is to blame or whose insurance company should be paying for damages. When your life is on the line, you need to focus on your health. This is where a Houston personal injury lawyer like me can help.
If you are hurt in an accident that isn’t your fault, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and more. Contact my office today to discuss the details of your accident and the legal options available to you. I can be reached at 281-677-3959.
