QUOTE
LAPORTE — State and county officials are crediting new rumble strips with helping make a deadly stretch of highway safer.
The 12-mile stretch of U.S. 20 between U.S. 35 and Indiana 2 was the most dangerous drive in LaPorte County. Last September, 30 crashes in that area caused eight injuries, according to police. This September, after rumble strips were installed Aug. 29 and 30, police say there were only 19 crashes with two injuries.
Of the 17 people killed in traffic crashes in LaPorte County so far this year, 10 were on U.S. 20, and six were on that exact stretch of U.S. 20. All of those fatalities were before the installation of the rumble strips.
LaPorte County Sheriff John Boyd thinks the rumble strips — small grooves in the concrete that cause loud noise and vibrations in a vehicle that drives over them — may have saved lives and prevented serious injuries. Many of the worst crashes on the highway were caused by drivers veering over the center line.
‘‘It’s a very small sample size but I can’t help but think it’s because of the rumble strips,’’ Boyd said. “They’re an attention-getter.”
Boyd also credits increased patrols on the 12-mile stretch, as well as considerable media coverage of the crash problem with helping lower the incidents.
‘‘It could be a combination of all three of those factors,’’ Boyd said.
The 12-mile stretch of U.S. 20 between U.S. 35 and Indiana 2 was the most dangerous drive in LaPorte County. Last September, 30 crashes in that area caused eight injuries, according to police. This September, after rumble strips were installed Aug. 29 and 30, police say there were only 19 crashes with two injuries.
Of the 17 people killed in traffic crashes in LaPorte County so far this year, 10 were on U.S. 20, and six were on that exact stretch of U.S. 20. All of those fatalities were before the installation of the rumble strips.
LaPorte County Sheriff John Boyd thinks the rumble strips — small grooves in the concrete that cause loud noise and vibrations in a vehicle that drives over them — may have saved lives and prevented serious injuries. Many of the worst crashes on the highway were caused by drivers veering over the center line.
‘‘It’s a very small sample size but I can’t help but think it’s because of the rumble strips,’’ Boyd said. “They’re an attention-getter.”
Boyd also credits increased patrols on the 12-mile stretch, as well as considerable media coverage of the crash problem with helping lower the incidents.
‘‘It could be a combination of all three of those factors,’’ Boyd said.