DES studies high-traffic accident areas on post              Mike A. Glasch       Leader Staff

A trip to the commissary or post exchange might put more than just a dent in your wallet; it could put a dent in your vehicle as well. According to a study done by the Directorate of Emergency Services, these are the mostly likely places on post to get into a traffic accident. There were 248 traffic accidents on Fort Jackson in 2007. Thirteen (5.6 percent) of them were either at the PX or commissary. “Studies like these should be a standard law enforcement practice to see if there are specific trends,” said. Lt. Col. Greg Vibber, director, DES. “That way proactive steps can be taken to help eliminate as many accidents as possible.” After breaking down all the accidents by location and time, the results didn’t come as a shock to DES traffic accident investigator Sgt. Danny Cox. “Not surprising, you are going to have the most accidents in high traffic areas,” Cox said.  In addition to the PX and commissary, other high traffic accident areas include Jackson Boulevard, Magruder Avenue and Strom Thurmond Boulevard. The biggest cause of vehicle accidents, one out of every four, was improper backing. Speeding, failure to yield the right of way and failure to judge proper clearance were also high on the list of causes for accidents. After identifying the major accident spots and causes, recommendations were made to alleviate the problems. “One option is to increase the angle of parking spaces,” Cox said. “If you are backing out perpendicular you are more likely to run into something as opposed to backing out at a 30-degree angle. Another option is to widen parking spaces to give drivers more clear room around their vehicle which would allow them to see better.” Vibber added the DES will be working with the Directorate of Public Works to add or change traffic signs alerting drivers to high traffic areas. “We want to instill in drivers not to just go on autopilot; recheck your driving habits,” he said. Cox echoed Vibber’s sentiment of drivers needing to pay more attention. “Accidents tend to happen when you are in a hurry and try to rush things,” Cox said. “If you pull out in front of someone and they are speeding, it can go down hill real quick.” Other proactive steps Vibber said can help cut down on accidents include more patrols in high traffic areas and getting unit commanders involved. “If we find one unit where the Soldiers are getting into more traffic accidents than their peers, we want to get with the chain of command to make them aware of the problem and see what we can do to change driving habits,” he said. “We want to make Fort Jackson a safer place to drive and a safe place for pedestrians as well.” Michael.A.Glasch@us.army.mil