STOP SIGNS DO WORK but only when drivers are paying attention. Adding lights won't help. UPDATE: Brandon Pugh killed when teen driver blows stop sign

What upsets me most when I look at the photo above is the size of the stop sign to begin with. It's almost the size of a small sedan.

How in the hell does any driver miss that? And now local politicans think flashing lights will help?

What will help is the day when drivers learn to keep their eyes on the road.

Police say the 2003 Dodge pickup, driven by a 17-year-old Innisfil girl, was northbound on the 20th Sideroad when she failed to negotiate the stop sign. "It's a clearly marked intersection with a stop sign for the north and south (directions of travel)," said Sgt. Bob Eeles.

[Brandon Pugh's Facebook Memorial Group]


SIMCOE COUNTY, ON -- Councillor Peter Kmet is insisting safety measures be fast-tracked after a 20-year-old Innisfil man was killed in a collision at the 20th Sideroad and Concession 9 yesterday afternoon.

It is the fifth serious crash in as many weeks in the area, a problem so troubling South Simcoe Police started a safety blitz two weeks ago.

“Something has to be done about this,” Kmet said in a an interview with the local newspaper as he looked at photos of the aftermath of Tuesday’s crash. “There’s just too many accidents here.” PLEASE, THIS WAS NO ACCIDENT.

The 20-year-old driver of a Pontiac G5 was killed at about 2:45 p.m. He has been identified as Brandon Pugh (pictured).
Not much was released about the teen driver but I am positive she was NOT paying attention. Most drivers - stop sign or not - will do a left to right sweep with their eyes before approaching ANY intersection (ones with Lights, Stop Signs & Flashing Lights) especially those with collision-avoidance training. This driver, at 17, did not do that or else she would have made note of the stop sign and also noticed the approaching Pontiac G5. Driving is more than just staring ahead -- sorry.

Her truck collided with the Pontiac, which rolled onto its side in the ditch on Concession 9. The teen driver then continued through the intersection, colliding with an Infiniti driven by a 71-year-old Thornhill man. The teen driver of the truck and the Infiniti were not seriously hurt.

Kmet had recently introduced a motion at a recent council meeting, calling for a four-way stop and flashing red lights at the intersection.

“We’ve got to make people slow down here,” Kmet said. “If we can stop someone from getting hurt we should — that’s our job.”

Ok. I agree, that maybe the intersection - if it's as bad as he claims - could use more signage but what about the drivers?

On Oct. 28, at about 8:15 a.m., a northbound Dodge Caravan stopped at the same intersection and then proceeded, striking a westbound Honda Fit driven by a 60-year-old woman. The Caravan rolled over onto its roof. A 49-year-old Innisfil woman was charged with failing to yield to traffic.

Police made Concession 9 a priority following that crash, implementing a crack down on drivers -- which is how this should be handled, not a crack down on signage.

Eeles blames increased traffic, excessive speed, disobeying stop signs, failing to yield and inattentive driving for the accidents. Guess what? Me too!!!

Council approved super-sized stop signs for all intersections along 2Oth Sideroad last year. Yellow flashing lights were also installed at some intersections.

So did they help???

Nope.

Pay attention when you drive. Obey the speed limit. Do a sweep from left to right when you are 100 metres from an intersection. Wear sunglasses if it's sunny and keep a pair handy in your car. Put your cellphone away, put down your MP3 player and turn down the radio.

This is all common sense.

My sympathies to the family of the man who was killed. If charged only under the Highway Traffic Act, the teen driver will be fined in your son's death and nothing more. See
So what's the value of a mother's life? Is $500 enough?

Am I saying we stick all these negligent drivers in jail? No. I'm implying that we don't do enough to discipline and train new drivers. Collision avoidance courses are not mandatory in this province. Neither is driver training. Parents can teach their teen drivers how to drive, passing every bad habit they have onto them. This practice needs to be outlawed. If your new driver observes you talking on your cellphone, eating and drinking while driving, they will copy your behaviour.

Hopefully, the judge assigned to this 17 year old's case will think to send her to mandatory driver's training and also force her to take collision-avoidance courses.

But most likely he/she won't. Her lawyer will tell the judge that her guilt is punishment enough and the judge will concur and also mention that she didn't mean to kill anyone and at most, she will pay a $500 fine. See School bus driver fined $600 for fatal collision that killed Edmonton motorcyclist and musician, Justin Delano

Drivers shouldn't have to kill other drivers to learn how to correct bad habits.

Please don't practice on me. My life is worth more than $500.00.

And I'm sure Brandon's parents consider his life priceless.