According to a recent report by the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), the Columbus, Ohio, intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Morse Road is the most dangerous intersection in Central Ohio. That intersection, says the report, has seen the most car accidents from 2008 to 2010.
Officials cite several reasons for the high number of accidents at that particular intersection. For one, it’s a wide intersection, so drivers who are passing through it may not readily see another driver who has run a red light. Also, an especially large volume of vehicles moves through that intersection each day.
The MORPC report also shows that Morse Road recurs on the list, as that road’s intersection with Stelzer Road and Westerville Road are also included.
The city intends to install cameras near particularly dangerous intersections in an attempt to hold reckless and negligent drivers accountable. However, officials have discussed the difficulty of choosing which of Columbus’ 15,000 intersections should be chosen for the implementation of surveillance equipment. The MORPC list, they say, makes those decisions easier to make. The decision to place cameras at certain intersections will also take into account more dangerous types of crashes.
Currently, Columbus has 28 cameras installed. By March 2012, the city intends to have 38 cameras watching the roadways.
While surveillance tactics may help in solving some problems that cause car accidents, an intersection that is structurally unsafe will continue to cause crashes that result in personal injury. Moreover, cameras cannot prevent driver error. Every individual who gets behind the wheel of an automobile has an obligation to the other drivers on the road. When that obligation is not lived up to, reckless and negligent drivers must be held accountable. If the fault of another driver results in personal injury, victims should know the full extent to which they are protected under the law.
Source: nbc4i.com, “Cleveland Avenue At Morse Road Tops List of Most Dangerous Intersections,” Denise Yost, Nov. 30, 2011