Car-crash troubles

Red-light runners, tailgaters and drivers failing to yield, police say, are what cause a majority of crashes in Spokane Valley. Police responded to 2,200 crashes in 2004, said Eric Epperson, a patrol officer with Spokane Valley police. “That’s about six a day.” The number of auto accidents per day continues at nearly the same rate this year with 861 crashes in between Jan. 1 and May 31. Three of them have resulted in fatalities.

In 2002, traffic crashes killed 43,005 people in the United States and were the No. 1 cause of death for people ages 3 to 33, according to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Spokane Valley’s traffic fatalities occurred at three separate intersections: Fourth Avenue and McDonald Road, Appleway Avenue just east of Park Road, and Best Road and Wellesley Avenue.

None of which is a hot spot for collisions.

The hot spots are primarily on arterials such as Mullan, Argonne and Sullivan roads south of Sprague Avenue, Spokane Valley police patrol Sgt. Tom Thompson said. The high-collision areas from year to year are about the same.

“It’s so congested, there’s no room for error,” said Epperson, adding it’s especially severe where drivers are coming in and out of businesses such as Wal-Mart and the Valley Mall along busy roads.

“My biggest concern is people who tailgate,” said 51-year-old Judy Quaintance, a Spokane Valley resident and native to the area. “Most are courteous, but some have to be in your back seat.”

Red-light runners are blamed for many of the collisions along the north and south arterials in the Valley.

“People are in a hurry and don’t want to wait the three minutes or so for the light to change,” Epperson said.

The fine for running a red light is $101, unless an accident occurs, when it’s $153. But running a red light could result in more than a traffic citation.

In 2002, approximately 921 people were killed and 178,000 were injured in as many as 207,000 red-light running crashes in the United States, according to the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running’s Web site.

But it’s tough for traffic patrol officers in the Valley to catch red-light runners.

“Enforcing red lights is manpower intensive,” Thompson said. “You’d have to have two people.” One officer would have to be in front of the light to see it turn red and another behind it to chase the driver.

It’s frustrating, police said.

Thompson has recently submitted a grant request for a device that could help catch the red-light runners. The grant request is for devices that would allow officers to sit on the backside of a traffic light and be able to tell when people run them.

Thompson said he expects to hear within two months if the Spokane Valley Police Department will get the grant for the indicators, which would be placed at six intersections in the Valley.

Valley officers have addressed other crash hot spots by upping traffic enforcement.

“Sprague Avenue at University is a good example of where patrol made a dramatic difference,” Thompson said.

The issues at the intersection were mainly improper turning and failure to yield.

“If you are turning out of a driveway or at a light, you have to turn into the closest lane,” Thompson said. People often didn’t realize that was the law.

“Following the rules usually works” to avoid accidents, said Spokane Valley resident Carolyn Furst, who often drives from the Valley to Spokane’s South Hill.

She agreed with what police say causes vehicle crashes, but she also had some of her own observations.

“I think using your turn signal is important. Many people don’t use them,” Furst said.

“And parking lots are one of the worst places for accidents in the Valley.”