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Police Corner
By Pfc. Joanna Robertson
PIO, Bethany Beach Police Department
Every motorist knows that the most important street sign is a stop sign. It assigns right of way, reduces accidents at intersections and is used as a speed control device. Do you know how many stop signs are in the town limits of Bethany Beach? The number is 244, with 99 on the east side of Route 1, and the remaining on the west side. Some of you may think that this is way too many, considering that we are only talking about 3 square miles of land ... with 244 stop signs!
With the traffic congestion that we are experiencing in the summer, who needs the additional inconvenience? Who needs the increased noise level, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions? Finally, it goes without saying that too many stop signs will contribute to the disrespect of all stop signs and may promote “rolling stops,” better known as “California stops.”
It is true that the stop sign is a major inconvenience to motorists; therefore it should only be used when warranted. It can be warranted at an intersection where one or more of the following conditions exists:
1. Intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way rule is dangerous.
2. Street entering a thru-highway or street.
3. Unsignalized intersection in a signalized area.
4. Other intersections where a combination of high speed, restricted view and accident records indicates the need for control by the stop sign.
In a resort town like Bethany Beach, it is extremely important to utilize the best traffic control devices and use them wisely.
As I mentioned earlier, there are approximately 99 stop signs on the east side of Route 1. The number is so high because of the way this part of town is designed, with its many side streets. In addition, the traffic congestion, both vehicles and pedestrians, increases each year so it becomes necessary to control it with various devices, including stop signs.
Ninety percent of the accidents on this side of Route 1 occur because of not paying attention to stop signs. Therefore, in the summer season we not only have full time officers enforcing the law but also seasonal officers. “Running” stop signs cannot be tolerated because it may cost somebody’s life.
Having said this, please pay attention to the road and drive carefully.
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