Smithville Highway one of county’s most deadly
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The revelation came during a study by the Southern Standard of serious automobile accidents from the beginning of 2000 to the present.
The study showed six people have been killed on both Nashville Highway and Smithville Highway over the past five years. The reasons for the crashes are similar, that being, cars straying into the oncoming lanes of traffic on the two-lane highways.
Both highways also led the way in wrecks with injuries that did not result in death. Two major four-lane highways, Manchester Highway (Highway 55) and Sparta Highway (Highway 70), both accounted for several injury accidents and saw fatal accidents.
However, in the case of the four-lane roads, most serious accidents happened at intersections, on Highway 55 either at Morrison, Bridgestone Drive or Old Well Road, and on Highway 70 at Old Rock Island, Highway 30 interchange or near Victor J. Young Road.
While there were several incidents on Highway 55, a large amount of the fatal wrecks fell dramatically as compared to a 10-year study completed in 1999. In that study it was found the Highway 55 and Old Shelbyville Road intersection was the most deadly in the county. However, the installation of a red light has greatly reduced the number of serious crashes at the intersection, thereby dropping the overall number of crashes taxed to Highway 55.
Safety improvements have, in fact, drastically reduced the number of accidents at historically dangerous areas. A major improvement was the re-working of the large curve on Old Shelbyville Road leading up to Pistole Lane which had accounted for many serious accidents. The number of accidents has dropped dramatically since work was completed there.
The same is true of the curve historically known as the Red Dog curve located on Nashville Highway. Re-working the curve has caused a dramatic reduction in crashes, although the curve still claims more motorists than does the Old Shelbyville curve, especially during rainy conditions. The reduction in crashes has prompted other improvements such as widening the John Deere intersection on Smithville Highway at Este Griffith Road.
While improvements have been made, there still remains several problem areas. Specifically, the most dangerous curve in the area of fatal and critical injury crashes is the curve on Nashville Highway known as Bethany curve. Aside from the severity of the curve, reasons for its dangers, experts believe, include the great number of motorists who travel the road and the two roads which intersect there, meaning Bethany is also technically the most dangerous intersection in the county when considering fatalities and serious injuries.
While wrecks are not as prevalent there, Viola Highway (Highway 108) has seen a pair of multiple fatality wrecks during the past five years.
Among roads which have seen an increase in fatal and serious wrecks over the past half decade are Short Mountain Road and Hennessee Bridge Road. In the case of those roads, lawmen agree the major problem there is speed as motorists routinely speed along the two-lane roads. Lack of adequate shoulder room has also contributed to accidents there.
Statistically, the highest percentage of accidents in Warren County happen at the intersection of the bypass and New Smithville Highway. However, most wrecks there are not severe and the reason for the high number is attributed to the fact it is the most crossed intersection in the county.
Fatal accidents, in fact, are much lower in the city. Reasons include more redlights to restrict speed and heavy enforcement. According to McMinnville Police Capt. Bryan Denton, the city has stepped up traffic enforcement over the past couple of years, believing enforcement would cut down the number of serious accidents.