Just about every city seems to have one — that one section of road that is difficult to maneuver or the area where accidents frequently occur. Cities in Connecticut are no exception. These sections of road tend to be hot topics for local representatives and a cause worth fighting to improve. If multiple incidents occur in one specific area, particularly if any of them result in a fatal accident, local representatives and the Department of Transportation will begin the process of reviewing the safety of the roadway to determine if any changes can be made.
Over the years, there have been multiple accidents, several ending in fatality, along Route 34 in Derby. Many of the accidents that occur in this spot are considered to be head-on or sideswipe collisions. In the last few years, two women, both mothers, were killed on this stretch of road. In total, 10 fatal accidents have occurred over the last 30 years.
These sobering statistics have finally prompted an enhancement project in an effort to remedy the situation. The project, a pilot program to install centerline rumble strips, is set to begin next year. These rumble strips have shown to reduce these types of accidents by about 44 percent.
This improvement project will be a welcome change to the area, especially for those who have already suffered the loss of a loved one on this road. A fatal accident can be devastating to the victim’s family. Families who have suffered such a tragic loss maintain the right to pursue legal actions if the other driver is found to have been at fault and/or the negligence of another party — including a governmental unit’s failure to act in the interests of public safety — is determined to have contributed to the crash. If litigated successfully, financial compensation may be awarded by the Connecticut court system to provide for the monetary losses they have sustained.
Source: New Haven Register, “Derby’s ‘dangerous’ stretch of Route 34 to get rumble strips“, Jean Falbo-Sosnovich, April 10, 2014
