Apparently the car never stopped at the blinking light and was broadsided by an oncoming 18 wheeler. I'm not sure on how many are dead, but I know at least one died.

My sons all use that road to come from CS and Houston, as do we when we travel to Aggieland.

Be careful.

That's awful. When did this happen?

Is that the one when you go through the country to Hearne?

Did you or your boys drive up on it?

How horrible.

Pablo, it was yesterday around 4:00 or so.

I didn't see it, and my youngest was driving back to CS. My mom had heard about it on Cameron radio and called to tell him. He said the traffic on 77 was backed up (which never happens) both ways going to Cameron and Rosebud and there were emergency vehicles everywhere.

Scary area. There are signs and warnings everywhere but that road has a lot of traffic.

3G,

Yeah, 485 is the road that starts at dead man's curve (53) at Ocker, then goes east around cyclone (pass Flag hall, St. Joseph), yarrelton, etc then thru 77. Then on to Hearne.

janag, scary. Had some family travel that road yesterday, and would have been at that intersection around 4:00. Must have got there before the wreck.





[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 12/21/2011 8:22a).]

Jan, it is on the KWTX site now...they were from CS.

I've wondered how long it would take to get an overpass there since before I started driving... Wayyyy too many accidents through the years. : (

Had another accident there this week!!!

Wonder what the deal is. There's flashing lights on 485 prior to the intersection. Guess people just get in a "lull" after haulin' ass on 485 for 20 miles either way.

The curve at 53 and 485 at Ocker was pretty bad back in the day. Was called "dead man's curve" for a reason. Enhanced the embankment, widened it, and placed yellow lights several years ago. Seems to have helped.

Another wreck there Friday the 13th. Two life Flighted. Two others taken by ambulance.
Very dangerous spot.

I sometimes think it is in part doing away with requiring kids to take driver's education.

In the dark ages, I took it freshman year for credit. We were shown scary films with bodies showing. It made us more conservative than modern drivers.

Add to that the basics like hand position on the wheel, being taught how to run off the road and get back on, how to handle a skid, and to look not TWO but THREE ways at high speed intersections.

I think people look, but don't know to look that one time more at the lane close to them, then go out, and a car they thought they could beat hits them.

3rd, add to your comments....taking your final exam with a cop sitting beside you. If you had enough confidence to do that, then you were likely prepared enough to drive in public.

After a couple of serious and fatal accidents the high school showed the DPS films you speak of to assemblies. The principal stood and said in a small town everyone knows you or your parents and the parents worst nightmare becomes the town's worst nightmare...please think when you get behind the wheel of someone going to tell your parents you were killed while driving.

ANOTHER WRECK there yesterday. 2 - 18 wheelers, one of them ran the stop sign on 485.

My friend that drives through that intersection everyday said she sees people run it all the time - they just assume they can 'beat' the other car.javascriptocument.forms[0].submit();

I've driven through that intersection many times between College Station and Temple/Belton/Fort Hood.

3rd Generation Ag - I think you're right about the decrease in training requirements for new drivers. Mom, you're right about the intimidation factor of having to go over to TSTI and take the driving test with a State Trooper.

I've really grown to like the licensing requirements here in Australia where it takes kids 3+ years to get a "Full License". They can't drive solo until they're age 17 and that's only after they've completed 120+ hours of supervised driving over a 1 year period.

[This message has been edited by HollywoodBQ (edited 1/18/2012 6:40p).]

State needs to do something at this intersection before something like what happened in Academy happens here!!!

Today I saw a school bus run the red light in Cameron at 4th and Fannin - i wanted to scream. Yes it was turning right but the fact it didn't even slow down - flat out ran it.

It has to be people just thinking they can beat other vehicles. It seems like its hard to mistake that intersection for another part of 485.

There was another One today but I am out of town so I am not sure of any details.

There was another One today but I am out of town so I am not sure of any details.

something needs to be done to 485 and highway 77 i was in a wreak on november the 23 a girl tried to go across 77 when i was driving down 77 and i hit her thank god my wife and baby did not go with me they need to do somthing before more people get hurt or deaths pull up and find ho many wrecks in the past 10 years theres more there than wrecks on i35 . Before this wreck iwas almost hit 3 times 2 by cars one by 18 wheeler

Need to do something? Like what? They have a stop sign, and there is a flashing light you can see from a mile away. and I think there is even a yellow flashing light before the intersection, isn't there? or am I thinking of 485 and 53 at Cyclone?

They don't need to do anything. People need to pay attention to what they're doing.

I guess they could build an overpass, but that would cost a fortune.

I am glad y'all came out of athe wreck OK. I just think the problem is idiots, not infrastructure.

BTW, LOVE the username - "pivo".

I grew up in that area, and I can recall so many wrecks at that intersection during my life. I am paranoid about it...I drive 485 quite a lot and I always look back and forth several times before crossing. There is nothing about the intersection that appears to be dangerous, but for some reason lots of bad wrecks. There is nothing to obstruct ones vision or anything like that. I cannot figure out what makes it so dangerous.

Don't know. My guess is people on 485 drive 25 miles of rural road, get "lulled" in their own isolation, and simply aren't expecting cross traffic going 70 mph. They either simply do not understand that intersection and don't use caution, or think they can "beat" the oncoming traffic not realizing how fast those vehicles are coming. It's the only thing I can think of.

Man, this site has haters on virtually every thread. Good grief. This intersection is just dangerous, who knows why. But it's been that way for literally decades. An overpass would be a good idea, obviously.

quote:

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Don't know. My guess is people on 485 drive 25 miles of rural road, get "lulled" in their own isolation, and simply aren't expecting cross traffic going 70 mph. They either simply do not understand that intersection and don't use caution, or think they can "beat" the oncoming traffic not realizing how fast those vehicles are coming. It's the only thing I can think of.

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I suspect this is true. Nothing else makes sense.

I've lived in this area most of my 52 years and I can't remember it ever being this bad. Maybe some of you have better memories than me.

Nah, it does seem like it's worse. Who knows why? One thing I did think of is the population growth. The populations of Bell, Brazos, Montogomery, and Harris Counties combined have probably tripled or maybe quadrupled over the past 40 years. I know a lot of the 485 traffic has historically been local Milam County folks, but I would think there has been a big increase in 485 traffic whose origination or destination is one of those above mentioned counties. Heck, most people I know that travel between Bell and those counties use 485.

Also, I assume there is increased traffic, especially trucking, on 77. Gotta think population growth and perhaps NAFTA have resulted in simply more vehicles heading north and south.

In short, I wonder if NON-intra-Milam County traffic has increased dramatically in recent decades, simply resulting in more opportunities for collisions. I don't know. Just a hunch.

Granoleater is probably right. I don't know what TxDOT's criteria is for designating an intersection for an overpass, but one right there would help. Maybe the volume of traffic on 485 isn't deemed high enough. Maybe it's too costly. Maybe no one cares. Does seem like, given the injuries and loss of life that it's worth a look.









[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 3/21/2012 7:55a).]