With anywhere from 40,000 to over 60,000 cars driving on East Washington Avenue on a daily basis, it is no surprise that this stretch of road sees one of the highest rates of crashes in the East District. Another major thoroughfare for car accidents is Stoughton Road (Highway 51). We find that the majority of these incidents take place during the afternoon rush hour, between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. An evaluation of these crashes also shows that they are more likely to happen in the daylight, on a clear, dry day.
East District intersections with the highest number of crashes include:
• South Stoughton Road and Pflaum Road
• North First Street and East Washington Avenue
• Lien Road and East Washington Avenue
• Mendota Street and East Washington Avenue
• Buckeye Road and South Stoughton Road
• North Stoughton Road and East Washington Avenue
The number one cause of these crashes, accounting for almost 50 percent of the incidents, is the failure to yield right of way, which is most often seen when a driver is attempting to make a left turn. The second leading cause in these intersection crashes is a disregard for traffic control.
It is important to always be an attentive driver, even though it is easy to become complacent when driving the same route every day. To be an attentive driver, you should always be scanning the roadway, looking to see what other cars around them are doing. It is also important to note that when passing a crash scene, you should move over as far as possible from it and keep focused on your own driving and the traffic in front of you. This can help prevent another crash from happening.
Visit these sites for safe driving tips and please – drive safe!
Madison Police Traffic Enforcement Safety Team