CAUGHT ON CAMERA: The ninth crash in a year at the same Idaho Falls intersection
Published at | Updated at
IDAHO FALLS — For the ninth time in a year, a car crash occurred at the intersection of Lomax Street and Holmes Avenue earlier this week.
The driver of a car ran a red light and smashed into an SUV on Sunday evening. Fortunately nobody was injured but neighbors are wondering why so many crashes are happening and if anything can be done to stop them.
According to the Idaho Falls Police Department, the nine crashes include six where people were injured. Three others involved property damage.
Chad Murdock and Jeremy Manwaring works on the corner and own The Murdock & Manwaring Realty Group. They installed a camera that has captured several of the crashes, including the incident Sunday night.
Murdock says there have been several close calls and one time, he physically moved inside his building after a vehicle crashed into a power pole and looked as if it would continue into his office.
RELATED | CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Truck slams into power pole after being hit by car
“Some of the individuals I’ve talked to that are involved in accidents say, ‘I didn’t run a red light’ and are utterly oblivious to the situation,” Manwaring tells EastIdahoNews.com. “I’ve seen lots of people not paying attention while looking at cell phones.”
In September, a U.S. Postal Service delivery truck tipped over after being struck by a car. While the driver of the truck was not at fault, he feared he would lose his job as a postman.
RELATED | Mail truck tips after being struck by car
“Around three months after the accident, the man came and thanked us for recording the crash as it saved his job,” Murdock says.
Despite the number of crashes, the city of Idaho Falls currently has no plans to make changes at the intersection.
“No construction or intersection improvements in the area of Lomax Street and Holmes Avenue are planned,” says city spokeswoman Kerry Hammon. “Keep in mind that it takes a full year for accident data to be compiled for evaluation when considering local highway safety improvement program funding for the following year.”
She says serious accidents that occur at intersections make funding available to the program and encourages all drivers to pay attention while behind the wheel.
Murdock and Manwaring plan to keep their camera rolling but hope it captures far fewer crashes.