Multi-car accident at Morse & 466
 

At 5:30 we were turning south onto Morse from 466 and witnessed several cars piled up eastbound at Morse Blvd. One car was crunched both front and back. Several had damage. Emergency squad was not there when we turned but hopefully there are no serious injuries.

That's really a dangerous intersection; I think I read a few months ago where work has been approved on a change for that intersection.

For some illogical reason, some drivers think they can travel at 40+mph. two or three car lenghts or less behind another vehicle, and stop in an emergency.

it is not going to happen!

I'm curious why you say this. In what way is it more dangerous than other intersections? We drive through it all the time -- I must have just missed today's multi-car accident -- and it never struck me as particularly dangerous. Enquiring minds want to do!

kathy

One of our dear neighbors was killed at that intersection two years ago this month.

The blinking yellow left turn arrow. If both left turn lanes have cars, the ability to see thru traffic is blocked.
Changing the yellow arrow to red would contribute to a safer intersection.

Well, having worked many accidents as a LEO, I watch traffic all the time while driving.

When people turn left off 466 onto Morse (north or south) against oncoming traffic, many have no idea on how to judge the closure rate of the oncoming vehicles, many of which are travelling above the speed limit. Couple the speed of those oncoming vehicles along with the usual obstructed view of the vehicles trying to make a turn caused by traffic in the opposite turn lanes, and it makes for a dangerous intersection.

The same could be said of the intersections at 466/Buena Vista, 466/Rolling Acres Rd.; any intersection where you have inattentive drivers turning against the traffic.

I know how to solve the problems at these intersections, but, I'm just a retired LEO and not a traffic engineer so I'll let them take their lazy time in solving these problems (until I'm become a victim of their negligence).

Plus the impatience for those waiting to turn. The yellow turn lights are in other States and seem to work fine when people understand them. Drivers always seem to run the yellows, turn or straight. Never understood that.

Exactly
 

Exactly, To add to that problem is cars on both sides that are going straight speeding up to avoid a yellow light. Also IMO, due to the constant growth of TV. The traffic through this intersection (and others) for shopping up to 441/27 area adds to the left turn on yellow issue.

Villages speeding
 

Many accidents are caused by excessive speeding. If you travel at the speed limit, it is nothing to have many cars pass you doing way over the sped limit. With little to no law enforcement of speeding, or traffic laws, this will only get worse. Instead of The Villages being called America's friendliest hometown, it has become America's most dangerous driving hometown.

IMHO, the source of the problem is a bad mix, elderly drivers driving cars that no longer fit them, elderly drivers with vision & medical issues, constant flow of visitors who don't know the lay of the land, high alcohol consumption, roads that are now obsolete--put them all together & BOOM--

I agree. And add rain and certain areas become deadly. We saw the accident at Morse and 466 and wonder how it could have happened. There were 4 cars involved that we could see. I don't know if there was a streetlight out on 466 but it was very dark over there.

Install “red left turn arrows” at the 466 E. West intersection of Morse Boulevard just as was done recently at the East West 466 Buena Vista intersection. Install “no turn on red” signs on north and south intersection of Morse Boulevard

I live near Morse and 44. There were multiple accidents at that intersection from people turning left off of 44 onto Morse, for the same reason (left-hand turn arrow was yellow and it was hard to see very fast oncoming traffic on 44 with other cars turning left in front of you). I knew that these signals are not the responsibility of The Villages, but I brought it up in my District 10 monthly meeting anyway hoping someone could refer me to the right person. Richard Baier (District Manager who attends all the Districts' monthly meetings) said he would personally talk to someone (I think from the county) and the arrow was changed to red within a week. At that time there was little traffic on Morse turning left onto 44 because not many people drove past 44. The arrow facing Morse is still yellow and maybe that also needs to change. The point is that if you see an issue, especially one that is life-threating, please talk to the District Manager instead of posting it on social media and think that whoever can help will happen to read it. If Richard Baier cannot help, he will direct you to the correct person.

Live near Intersection
 

All of the intersections along 466 are a risk and traffic control by the Police is critical to solving the number of accidents. Of course we drive it all the time and it is just repeating yourself to say look at the "speed of that vehicle" as 4 out of 5 ignore the speed limit and or safe driving. You can see this at the intersections and to see how they should drive go by the school section when the police are there. The strip from the CVS Intersection to Morse Blvd intersection is a "race strip". Enough said.:ho:

It's not that the intersection is dangerous as much as this area has an abundance of really awful drivers. I doubt many know what a turn signal is. When moving to TV, I sold my motorcycle rather than run the gauntlet of the round-abouts.

The red left turn arrows at 466 and Buena Vista have definitely made that intersection more safe.

All the roads intersections are filled with impatient old people so when driving anywhere you must be on high alert

Nothing wrong with that intersection. The drivers are the problem. The speed down 466 following too close, turn when the can’t see outside lane traffic from someone speeding in the right lane and blocked off by slowed or stopped traffic, or bully their way on right turn on red which traffic flow has to slow down. Many roads before major intersection needs automatic radar That records the speed the the plate and automatically seen out speeding ticket. Only way to start slowing speeders down. No yellow turning lights good first start and no right turn on red another. Amazes me how many speed right by the sheriff annex.

Disagree, yes some, but most are younger speeding to aNd from wherever. Speed the problem and turning in front of traffic

As far as I could tell last night, this accident did not happen because of the traffic light. This was at least 3-4 yards from the light. Yes, there is a possibility that the velocity of the accident caused ALL of these cars to move that far from the traffic light, but let’s be honest, that is a very remote possibility. Yes, the yellow turn arrow is dangerous. But no more dangerous than the roundabouts. None of us know the true story of what happened last night, so let’s just relax when placing blame on “older drivers”, “people racing down 466”, and “yellow traffic signals”. There are so many other things it could be...a medical emergency that caused the driver to lose control of their car, failed brakes, bad tires. Who are we to judge without all of the facts?

I received the best advice from my former landlord in the Villages. Here it is: When driving in the Villages, do not be in a hurry! PERIOD.

Stated so casually, yet so wrong.

Busy signalized intersections are far more dangerous than well-designed, warranted roundabouts such as in TV.

dangerous due to the amount of traffic that passes thru the intersections, sometimes @ unreasonable speeds. and then there's always some fool weaving thru traffic, sometimes on a motorcycle

Intersection of Morse/466 and also of Rolling Acres Rd/466 are the two worst intersections in this area. I avoid them and if I am heading there I am VERY careful.

In regards to The Villages, “busy signalized intersections” are not more dangerous than “well-designed warranted roundabouts”. Each one implies having to yield. Each one one would have to calculate the distance in which the oncoming vehicle is, in order to determine safety in which to turn/merge into a roundabout. Yes, the velocity that the cars are traveling may be greater on roads such as 466, but let’s be honest as well, everyone has seen cars fly through the roundabouts at the same speed as those on 466. How’s that for casually stated?

On another note, I was commenting on the accident and what I saw firsthand. As for you, your post is off topic. The title of the post is about the accident, not how dangerous yellow turn signals are and the like.

Hardly even see head on or t-bone collisions in roundabouts unless someone going wrong direction.

Then you aren’t watching close enough. I have seen plenty of t-bone collisions in my 17 years of living here.

I agree with others. Roundabouts are far far safer. That is why they exist. To suggest that turning if front of a car going 45 mph is no different than passing in front of a car slowing to enter, or moving around, a roundabout is silly.

Not judging.....offering an opinion.

Plenty? In my 19 years I don’t recall reading about any t-bone accidents.....more side swipes.

Wow, never saw a head on or a t-bone collision in the roundabouts. But plenty of rear enders and glancing blows.

First of all, I had to read your post three times to understand what you meant. Have you ever seen someone with their right hand turn signal on, fail to turn onto the road that you assume they are going to? They continue to go around and the other person goes, t-bone.

Second of all, did I say that turning in front of a car going 45 mph and “passing” in front of a car slowing to enter was equally dangerous? Perhaps you should quote my post before paraphrasing what you think I said.

Again, simply wrong.

When a vehicle makes a left turn from the right lane in a circle , recipe for a T-Bone and not the medium rare kind--lots of them here-

Make 466 a divided one-way eastbound and 466A...a divided one-way westbound.


That oughta cut down on the number of old folks out driving around in their cars, on 45 MPH roads, just for the heck of it and force more to use the roundabouts...which ARE safer than a normal intersection. :D







Relax folks, I'm obviously just joking. Especially knowing what it would do to the East/West roads... inside the Bubble.

...and distracted drivers from cell phones/texting while driving.

Over a year ago my wife witnessed a woman driving an older suburban, take out 6 cars while backing out of a parking space, she had her front wheels turned ,hit the gas and did a semi-circle in reverse--hit cars behind her & then cars alongside her-this happened in the Colony Publix lot

I would say there are at least as many "impatient" young people, (or more)

The intersections on 466A at Morse and Buena Vista are equally precarious as well.
Lost count of the many accidents and close calls I've witnessed at the all the horrible roundabouts. I can't stand them and avoid them whenever possible, usually via 301 or Microracetrack/Rolling Acres.