Morgan Hill Police released the list of the five worst areas in town for traffic collisions earlier this week, blaming the bulk of the problem on speeding motorists.
The list is based on the number of accidents that have occurred at these sites resulting in property damage or personal injury, according to Demetrick Caballero, a Morgan Hill officer in the City’s traffic unit. Those numbers were not available at press time.
“The top problem? SPEED. Slow down!” reads the notice posted on the MHPD’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The City released the list to inform the public about the biggest problem areas in town in hopes that motorists will pay more attention on the roads, Caballero said.
Improving traffic safety is key to the City’s “outcome based strategic plan.” One of the desired outcomes in that plan is to reduce the occurrence of traffic collisions, and to increase the public’s overall feelings of safety.
Making the roads safer will go a long way toward reaching both those goals, Caballero said.
“If we can get the information out in a timely fashion, hopefully they’ll be more aware and that will reduce collisions,” Caballero said.
The intersection of East Dunne Avenue and Walnut Grove Drive was rated the worst area for collisions in Morgan Hill.
Close to a dozen high-traffic businesses – including two grocery stores, a gas station, Walgreens, and several food vendors – are accessed within one-tenth of a mile of the traffic light on both Dunne Avenue and Walnut Grove Drive.
“I can see with all the blind corners and distracted drivers,” said Shawn Tacklind, a Morgan Hill resident who stopped at the Starbucks near the intersection Tuesday afternoon. “There’s multiple turn lanes in each direction, and lots of inputs.”
And while Monterey Road and San Pedro Avenue, just south of downtown Morgan Hill, was named the fifth worst area for collisions, the owner of a store near that spot thinks an intersection just a few yards north is just as bad or worse.
At Monterey Road and Spring Avenue, it seems there have been more accidents since the City installed a traffic light there for the first time more than a year ago, according to Sun Valley Market owner George Seoud.
“There’s no left-turn signal” for motorists turning left from Monterey Road onto Spring Avenue, Seoud said, and that likely contributes to a lot of accidents there.
Seoud can see both Monterey Road intersections at San Pedro and Spring avenues from his store’s front door. He has also seen his share of carnage at the intersection of San Pedro Avenue, including an accident that was caught on his security camera in which a car exiting the store next door onto Monterey Road was struck by a speeding vehicle, he said.
No. 1: E. Dunne Ave. at Walnut Grove Drive
No. 2: Monterey Road in downtown Morgan Hill
No. 3: E. Dunne Ave. between Hill Road and Saddleback Drive
No. 4: Tennant Avenue and Vineyard Boulevard
No. 5: Monterey Road and San Pedro Avenue
Source: MHPD
