We live in a quiet neighborhood here in Tacoma, a block off a busy street. In the last two weeks there have been three car accidents.This last accident had the most damage - both cars had to be towed away, and police, ambulance and firetrucks arrived.
The young man, only 19, was coming home from work and 'just didn't see the woman going through the intersection. The sun was in his eyes, and a large boat parked at the curb obscured his view. He plowed right into her, spinning her car completely around.
His airbag popped open, with smoke billowing out of the dashboard.I heard the impact, grabbed my cell-phone and camera, and headed down the block. People from all over the neighborhood arrived to help, and police were there in a minute.
Both cars had impact damage, and the woman and her baby had to go to the hospital for observation - although both appeared to be fine.
As the neighbors gathered around, we all talked about how traffic detours off the main street and heads down our street to avoid traffic, and they're plowing down the street as if it were a through-street, with stop signs. Nobody thinks to slow down at intersections. They drive as if they are on a main artery, with no caution.
We'd like speed bumps or 'yield' signs. Some of the nearby streets have circular planters in the intersection to slow things down. Those streets force slow speed.
I didn't stay to watch the fire-crew clean the streets. Police cars blocked all routes into the intersection.
Bill's Towing loaded up the last vehicle - right in front of my house.The parents of the young man visited with me on the curb, and said he'd 'just gotten off work, was extremely fatigued, and was not paying attention'. Yikes, that's a tough lesson - but better to learn it at 19 than at 50.
