Post by dixiepixie on Feb 9, 2007 9:47:58 GMT -5
www.governorpress.state.al.us/pr/pr-2006-03-20-01-statetrooperstclairco.asp
The first link is a press release from the governor office after the wall was built.
I have worked for the Department of Public Safety for 5.5 years and there has NEVER been an 18 month period where there were 200 + deaths on I20 in the area Freeway talked about.
www.thestclairtimes.com/news/2007/st-local-0111-klong-7a31t3627.htm
ST. CLAIR
I-20 wrecks cut by more than 100 percent in 2006
Kellie Long
St. Clair Times editor
01-11-2007
Car accidents and related injuries along the St. Clair County stretch of Interstate 20 were down significantly in 2006, according to the Alabama Department of Public Safety.
State Troopers reported a total of 496 wrecks along St. Clair’s I-20 in 2005 and only 210 in 2006.
In 2005, there were 418 wrecks where only vehicles were damaged and 77 accidents with injury. A total of 107 injuries were reported. There was only one fatal accident with one person killed.
“The crash numbers are much lower in 2006,” Trooper Sgt. Tim Sartain said. “Good engineering, education and increased enforcement are some of the reasons for the lower numbers.”
In 2006, St. Clair saw a total of 210 crashes along I-20 with 167 being property-type and 41 being injury-type accidents. There were a total of 52 injuries reported from those accidents with injury. Two separate fatal accidents claimed the lives of four people.
On June 24, at 10:37 p.m., three people were killed when a semi-truck struck them. The fatalities were secondary to another smaller crash, Sartain said. Two of the victims were outside their cars and standing in lanes of traffic when the truck struck them. The truck then struck one of the vehicles, killing the third victim.
The second fatal crash occurred Aug. 19, at 9 a.m. One person was killed in the accident.
Sartain said one contributing factor to the higher number of crashes in 2005 was the amount of construction in areas along I-20.
“There aren’t any more stop signs at the end of on ramps from U.S. 231 to I-20, and there aren’t any more road re-alignments,” he said. “There were a lot of people running into each other at the foot of those ramps because they weren’t looking for a stop sign.”
Sartain added that press coverage and public education concerning enforcement along the interstate also helped.
“People are being made aware, and people in the area are slowing down,” he said. “The median barriers and the re-engineering of the interstate have made it much more safe.”
As for construction, Sartain said, when the bridge expansion project on U.S. 231 in Pell City begins this year, troopers will be there to enforce the traffic laws for the safety of drivers and construction crews.
“We’ll be busy assisting and doing what we need to do to keep the traffic moving safely,” he said. “We don’t expect it to be as bad as previous projects, but we’re still going to be there.”
About Kellie L. Long
Kellie Long is Editor of The St. Clair Times.
Contact Kellie L. Long
Phone::
E-mail:
(205) 884-3400
klong@dailyhome.com
The first link is a press release from the governor office after the wall was built.
I have worked for the Department of Public Safety for 5.5 years and there has NEVER been an 18 month period where there were 200 + deaths on I20 in the area Freeway talked about.
www.thestclairtimes.com/news/2007/st-local-0111-klong-7a31t3627.htm
ST. CLAIR
I-20 wrecks cut by more than 100 percent in 2006
Kellie Long
St. Clair Times editor
01-11-2007
Car accidents and related injuries along the St. Clair County stretch of Interstate 20 were down significantly in 2006, according to the Alabama Department of Public Safety.
State Troopers reported a total of 496 wrecks along St. Clair’s I-20 in 2005 and only 210 in 2006.
In 2005, there were 418 wrecks where only vehicles were damaged and 77 accidents with injury. A total of 107 injuries were reported. There was only one fatal accident with one person killed.
“The crash numbers are much lower in 2006,” Trooper Sgt. Tim Sartain said. “Good engineering, education and increased enforcement are some of the reasons for the lower numbers.”
In 2006, St. Clair saw a total of 210 crashes along I-20 with 167 being property-type and 41 being injury-type accidents. There were a total of 52 injuries reported from those accidents with injury. Two separate fatal accidents claimed the lives of four people.
On June 24, at 10:37 p.m., three people were killed when a semi-truck struck them. The fatalities were secondary to another smaller crash, Sartain said. Two of the victims were outside their cars and standing in lanes of traffic when the truck struck them. The truck then struck one of the vehicles, killing the third victim.
The second fatal crash occurred Aug. 19, at 9 a.m. One person was killed in the accident.
Sartain said one contributing factor to the higher number of crashes in 2005 was the amount of construction in areas along I-20.
“There aren’t any more stop signs at the end of on ramps from U.S. 231 to I-20, and there aren’t any more road re-alignments,” he said. “There were a lot of people running into each other at the foot of those ramps because they weren’t looking for a stop sign.”
Sartain added that press coverage and public education concerning enforcement along the interstate also helped.
“People are being made aware, and people in the area are slowing down,” he said. “The median barriers and the re-engineering of the interstate have made it much more safe.”
As for construction, Sartain said, when the bridge expansion project on U.S. 231 in Pell City begins this year, troopers will be there to enforce the traffic laws for the safety of drivers and construction crews.
“We’ll be busy assisting and doing what we need to do to keep the traffic moving safely,” he said. “We don’t expect it to be as bad as previous projects, but we’re still going to be there.”
About Kellie L. Long
Kellie Long is Editor of The St. Clair Times.
Contact Kellie L. Long
Phone::
E-mail:
(205) 884-3400
klong@dailyhome.com