As I talk to my neighbors at least once a week, there is something that we all agree on. Right outside of our neighborhood, there’s a four-way stop. The only thing managing that traffic is stop signs. However, the issue isn’t that it’s busy or fast drivers (fun fact: there are always speeders). It’s the fact that on the main road, there are three lanes going both ways. On each street, there is only one stop sign, on the turning lanes. Then, on the other two lanes in the middle, the STOP sign is on the road floor.
The issue is that in that intersection, drivers on those two lanes, most of the time, do not see it. They’re so busy speeding that they think they only have to stop if on the turning lane. This has caused many car accidents. This has been going on for the almost three years that I’ve lived here.
Just last year, there was a motorist who got hit and was in critical condition because the driver in the car did not see the stop sign on the road floor. I’ve personally almost gotten T-boned a handful of times.
Now I have to be cautious with my children in the car, because I stay at the STOP sign until I see the car visibly stop. Often, they do not stop and my jaw drops every time how careless drivers are in a neighborhood.
I believe that if the city added traffic lights that this could easily solve the problem. They don’t even have to be the normal red, green and yellow. They could be flashing reds/yellows.
Even a yield sign would be sufficient to bring more awareness on being a safer driver.
Krissie Douangmala
Canyon Country
