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Fatal Bus Accident Is Unfortunately Not Uncommon

By Author Andrew Speaker, Esq.

FATAL BUS CRASHDriver confusion a common danger
By R. CLAY MILLINGPublished on: 03/08/07 in AJC
Friday's tragic bus accident on I-75 at Northside Drive is not the only time potential driver confusion has led to serious wrecks on Georgia roads and highways.
Road design flaws, inadequate signage and driver guidance issues are more common factors in accidents than many people realize. Examples are abundant: left lane exits like the one at Northside Drive (exits are almost universally located on the right and marked with green exit signs); left lane merges (lanes are generally merged from the right); and complex interchanges in metropolitan areas.

Each of these situations presents a driver with an unexpected situation. When a roadway fails to meet a driver's expectation or is confusing, motorists take longer to make decisions and sometimes make incorrect decisions. The potential for collisions increase dramatically.
Not long ago, along I-75 in Middle Georgia, the interstate transitioned from four lanes to three lanes, with the loss of the lane occurring on the left.
A driver, attempting to pass a truck on the left, realized too late that the left lane was ending. The driver pulled back into traffic and rear ended the truck. Three people were seriously injured in the wreck.
In the design of roads and highways, traffic engineers rely on many guidelines, the primary being the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The MUTCD, however, does not pretend to illustrate every situation that may be encountered on every type of road.
Rather, it merely provides what are commonly referred to as "typical applications." Using Friday's accident as an example, many would argue that the exit at Northside Drive is not typical: it originates in the lefthand HOV lane, is marked in black and white letters instead of green and white, and contains the words "buses and carpools" on the sign.
What then, are traffic engineers and others to do when faced with a situation that is not "typical"? The answer is to follow the principles of "positive guidance," a body of work developed specifically for the Federal Highway Administration.
Positive guidance states, in essence, that drivers should be "positively guided" down the road and, if they are, wrecks will be minimized. Positive guidance envisions conspicuous road markings and signs that are clear and unambiguous.
A roadway that adheres to the principles of positive guidance will meet driver expectations, will not be confusing, and will, as a result, have a minimum number of accidents and near misses.
The issue of whether and to what extent the highway design may have played a role in last Friday's bus tragedy remains to be seen.
What is not debatable is that, given the sheer volume of traffic flowing on Georgia's interstate and highway system, road designers must assure that we are all guided in a clear, unambiguous, and "positive" manner. This will reduce wrecks and save lives.

Full post as published by The Speaker Law Firm Personal Injury Blog on March 08, 2007 (boomark / email).