Another Highway FF Accident Occurs

Mary Anthonis June 5, 2012 at 01:44 pm

I know the road is terrible, but seat belts do save lives. This woman should have had her seat belt on, especially since she drives this highway.

Amy June 5, 2012 at 02:30 pm

The common thread for these accidents is people driving too fast and not wearing their seatbelts. Hwy.FF is not killing people, they are doing this to themselves with careless driving. A majority of these accidents involve only one car too...

Julie Brown Patton (Editor) June 5, 2012 at 03:28 pm

Yes, I have to admit that when I have investigated the Highway Patrol's accident reports for articles about Highway FF incidents, it seems victims were reported as not having seat belts on. Please do remind family and friends that seat belts are the one proactive way they can increase their odds of surviving! Seat belts may not be THE answer, but they are one answer to the issues happening on our roadways.

georg June 5, 2012 at 03:32 pm

I could not agree more with Amy!

MARY ANN MOORE June 5, 2012 at 07:26 pm

I totally agree with the previous comments! There is nothing wrong with Hwy FF that SLOWING DOWN, PAYING ATTENTION and WEARING SEAT BELTS cannot fix....a lot cheaper than re-doing the road!

Eileen Tyrrell June 6, 2012 at 10:32 am

Thank you Amy for having the courage to say it first.
Yes, there has been great loss on Hwy FF, especially in our Eureka community. No matter how safe the road, there are still accidents and seat belts save lives.

Amy June 6, 2012 at 02:30 pm

A reduction in the speed limit along with more police visibility would make a difference too. It seems as though many people think once they get on FF/W that speed limits no longer apply because there are never any police around to enforce them.

Julie Brown Patton (Editor) June 6, 2012 at 03:12 pm

Amy and all: Missouri Department of Transportation staffs recently worked with Jefferson County Sheriff's office to build a new "pull-off" on Highway FF so police can both monitor and stop unsafe drivers. With no shoulders, there are only one or two places for police to do extended monitoring. They have stepped up patrols, based on local requests within the last year. A local non-profit group, One Curve at a Time, encourages the three E's--Education, Enforcement, and Engineering. I've included their efforts in articles, such as: http://eureka-wildwood.patch.com/articles/help-save-lives-submit-comments-to-missouri-department-of-transportation-commissioners

Roger Vincent June 6, 2012 at 06:32 pm

Ditto to all of the above comments. Roads DO NOT cause accidents.

Amy June 6, 2012 at 06:50 pm

Julie-
I live off FF and I come and go from my house frequently taking my kids to school, sports, etc. I have lived here for over a year now and have only see a Jeff Co.sheriff's car once in all that time on FF. I would highly encourage more monitoring by the sheriff's dept. I feel it would make such a big difference in slowing people down.

Julie Brown Patton (Editor) June 6, 2012 at 08:46 pm

Amy, you are correct from what many people say. Drivers on Highway FF are pretty used to be it being unpatrolled. Stay safe there as you come and go! I can say that Missouri Highway Patrol officers attended some of the recent meetings, and promised to try to get to this roadway as well.

Stephanie Stemmler June 6, 2012 at 11:39 pm

I agree that speed enforcement is a big issue and that seat belts do save lives. The great thing is that MoDot has cleared the right of ways of debris so we can see better and that Jeff Co Sheriff's office is starting to use the small pull-off to enforce the speed limit. I'll continue to help push for more patrols and everyone else can do the same. I will point out, too, that despite some comments that it's not "the road" causing problems, there are several areas of the road, in particular curves, where formal engineering studies have, in fact, found elevation problems and poor drainage that lead to problems when the slightest bit of water is on the road, such as hydroplaning, or even angle of slope problems which are further magnified with unsafe driving. With Hwy FF, there is virtually no room for error around some of these curves because the drop-offs are so severe and there are no shoulders. While it used to be a rural road, it's now a well-traveled rural highway. We all want people to Slow Down, Be Careful. No one wants anyone else to become a statistic on this road. The number of accidents is already too high. Julie, I hope law enforcement keeps up to date with your postings and comments so they can see that people want more patrols!

Jo Schaper June 7, 2012 at 02:01 am

I've lived in Jefferson/Franklin counties since 1962. Take away the "dangerous" curves, and people drive faster, and accidents don't go down.
It's the nut behind the wheel...

Shawn Archambault June 7, 2012 at 03:11 am

I agree there are nuts behind the wheel on highway FF, and OneCurveatatime.org has made a place on our website to report such types of unsafe drivers. But until we stand up and start reporting the unsafe habits it will not change. We as a community need to take ownership of where we live and use the power of the people to make these changes. I know changing curves and putting sholders won't stop all accidents as well as giving unsafe drivers tickets and puting my daughters picture on a 8'x16' sign for awareness but I do know if we will work together in a positive way, we can save lives, change how people dirve by continuing to make them aware and demanding accoutability of how we drive on FF. When it comes to driving how much time do we really put in training and educating our children before we put them behind the wheel. Speed enforcement is a big issue and that seat belts do save lives. OneCurveAtaTime.org is working well with Jefferson County Sheriff's department to hold unsafe drivers accountable but we need your help in identifing the same unsafe drivers. Curves are killers and we need to make them somewhat to handle cars not horse and buggies as orginally these are what these roads where made for on hwy FF. We as a communitty/govt. need to do a better job making these roads with more awareness, accountability and putting more money in our road system.

Julie Brown Patton (Editor) June 7, 2012 at 03:19 am

Stephanie, I will try to ensure articles and reader recommendations are provided to area law enforcers. Thank you for pointing out that elevations and hydroplaning are problems on Highway FF.

Julie Brown Patton (Editor) June 7, 2012 at 03:23 am

Shawn, please continue to let everyone know about the variety of changes One Curve At A Time is trying to achieve. Yes, conditions have changed since horse-and-buggy times.