Font ResizeOAKLAND — A multipoint plan to improve traffic along the Interstate 880 corridor launched Wednesday with a series of new highway signs reminding fender-bending motorists to follow an oft-ignored state law.
California law requires drivers involved in accidents with no injuries to pull over onto the shoulder, despite a common perception that doing so hampers the insurance-claim process, said John Goodwin of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
"The key is this pervasive misunderstanding that, 'Gee, if I move the car they won't be able to tell who's at fault,' and in a fender bender of course it's never your fault, right?" Goodwin said. "But (officials) can actually go out later, look at skid marks and whatnot on the roadway, damage patterns on the cars, and determine what happened from that."
Fifteen signs exhorting drivers to obey the pull-over law are going up along I-880, the first in a series of modest projects "trying to squeeze a little more efficiency out of our existing freeway network," rather than spending $50 million on a new interchange, Goodwin said.
Upcoming improvements include larger service trucks that can tow moving vans and delivery trucks, improved networks to inform drivers of major traffic problems, and an improved video monitoring network.
MTC is working with the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans on the projects.
Accidents, stalls, debris spills, trucks shredding tires and other
"For every minute we can shave off clearing an accident, we estimate a resulting four-minute benefit in delays that we save other motorists," said Sean Nozzari of Caltrans. "So when drivers in an accident pull over, not only are they safer themselves, but they save others from being involved in an accident due to rubbernecking that can occur in congestion."
