Terrible accident on 2222 (Austin, Canyon, Lakeway: middle-class, attorneys, neighborhood)

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by coldswan

Once again another fatality accident at 620/2222. Innocent lives taken by an idiot drunk driver who fled the scene. I have lived here not even a year and a half and half lost a friend to a car wreck on 2222 and know one of the survivors of this latest tragedy. What is this city doing to change things around here? This is not a country highway anymore! There are businesses and apartment entrances all along this stretch between 2222 and Boulder. I noticed a portion of the road had reduced speed limit to 55 mph but the signs are not posted all the way down. The police need to start enforcing this!

2222 has got to be one of the most heavily radar enforced roads in Austin. This recent accident wasn't on 2222. It was on 620. And caused by a drunk driver --- which has nothing to do with speed limits on 2222.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by FromCalitoSteinerRanch

Unfortunately it is two dead now. A mother and now the son according to an anecdotal comment on the Statesman. The son is anecdotally a senior at Vandergrift HS. This is really sad...


The driver will not get Nestande treatment for sure, and will likely get harsher punishment because of that case.

The people who were killed were my daughter's kindergarten teacher and her son. She taught at Steiner Ranch Elementary and her son was a senior at Vandegrift. A friend and co-worker called me earlier today to express her shock and sympathy. She said the person who caused the accident lived near her in Canyon Creek and apparently is just a kid himself.

It's a horrible tragedy, which happened on 620, not 2222, on a well-traveled, straight stretch of road. Sadly the person who caused the accident was drunk and driving at a high rate of speed. The road he was on had nothing to do with the accident.

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by mm57553

She said the person who caused the accident lived near her in Canyon Creek and apparently is just a kid himself.

He is no longer a kid after this. I understand we all make mistakes, for example, I accidentally shot myself in the foot with a live .22 bullet as a child showing off with "Hey! Look, they don't go off when you throw them on the ground!" I was lucky to not have had another child around me get hit by the bullet or shell casing. It appears that the driver in this instance did not have the same luck, and a car is much larger than a single .22 bullet, and now he will have plenty of time in prison to think about that comparison.

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

News Story Updated: Two dead, five injured in 620 accident | KXAN.com

Suspect is 21 years old.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by FromCalitoSteinerRanch

... now he will have plenty of time in prison to think about that comparison.

It is not uncommon at all, in Travis County, for first offense intoxication manslaughter to only receive probation.

[usernamenottaken]

I live off 620 in that area. There are constantly accidents here. Maybe not all fatal, but still dangerous. There are many businesses, neighborhoods, and apartment complexes entering this road with no traffic lights. Large dump trucks, work trucks and erratic drivers weaving in and out of traffic traveling over the speed limit, which is posted too high in my opinion. Should be 45 max. I travel 2222 a lot and am surprised there are not fatalities every day. Having just moved here in July, I can say that I was shocked by the way people drive here. What is the big freaking hurry? Leave earlier. Why do people have to risk their lives and the lives of others to get somewhere 5 minutes earlier. I just don't get it. I love Austin, but the one thing I hate are the wreckless, irresponsible, and aggressive drivers. Why do people and the police tolerate this?

[scm53]

Originally Posted by usernamenottaken

Large dump trucks, work trucks and erratic drivers weaving in and out of traffic traveling over the speed limit, which is posted too high in my opinion. Should be 45 max.

Why do people and the police tolerate this?

Speed limits on 620 were just lowered, after an engineering study. These studies take many factors into account, but one of the main ones is the 85th percentile rule. That states that the safe driving speed on any road will be recognized by 85% of the drivers on it. So if the speed limits were just studied, and lowered, it is a good bet that the speeds chosen were the ones being driven by the overwhelming majority of drivers on 820.

Also, if this young man was already breaking the law by apparently driving while intoxicated, do you really think he would have driven within the speed limit?

[CarnivalGal]

I live in Steiner and drive that stretch of road pretty much every day. Most of the accidents, like this one, are not caused by someone turning left. They are caused by people speeding, texting, or drinking.

Left turns are not allowed into or out of many of the businesses along this stretch of road, but people do it anyway, completely ignoring the signs and medians. You can't regulate stupidity.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Our society sells alcohol legally which affects the part of the brain that makes good decisions after imbibing. It's ironic we have a huge campaign against "illegal pot" but advertise, push, brain-wash, sell and distribute alcohol as if it were a good thing to drink too much. The advertising campaign to "drink responsibly" is illogical.

Alcohol and Your Brain - Science NetLinks

Then, we witness the disparity in how people are arrested, jailed and sent to prison based on how much money they have or how much influence they have in the "justice" system. We witch hunt, blame and crucify some and not others while standing back acting as if it would never happen to us or a member of our family. Or, we argue about speed limits, bicycles, motorcycles, bad roads, other people not from around here of course, the good ol days when we were young and got away with something, or the classic "yankee" when, in reality, alcohol played the role. I have learned to never say never.

A speed limit will not deter a drunk driver.

Lastly, my heart goes out to the family.

[Cardiff Giant]

Originally Posted by scm53

Would also point out that the Prius that contained the two fatalities has been removed from Consumer Reports recommended list because of poor performance in front end crashes. Not excusing the accused, or blaming the victims. Just offering something to think about before your next car purchase.

This is a very sad story and exactly why I put my family in a Volvo. I don't care how many MPG a Prius gets or how reliable it is, there's no way my wife and kids are riding in such a small car. Especially with all of the trucks down here.