GOOD Morning Wilton has teamed up with Wilton Police Lieutenant David Hartman, who runs the police department’s traffic unit, to regularly feature intersections and areas in town where traffic safety issues may occur. GMW started a series of LIVE Facebook videos to help Wilton residents identify and better navigate these problem spots.
One such intersection recently came to our attention after it was mentioned on both the town’s SeeClickFix app as well as social media. A resident wrote about how the intersection at School Rd. and Rte. 7/Danbury Rd. “…is a disaster every morning between 7:20 and 7:40 [a.m.].” Part of the problem is the number of vehicles turning from each direction through the intersection during morning rush hour combined with an increase in school traffic with buses and parents driving children to school.
Compounding the problem is a behavior of several drivers who try to ‘beat the light’ and get ahead of the many cars backed up in the turning lanes, by using the Stamford Health parking lot at 372 Danbury Rd. to make a U-turn and cut across the intersection. Not only is it not permitted to use private property in such a way, but it causes a traffic safety hazard, according to Hartman.
Watch our segment as Lt. Hartman explains why cars should not do the sneaky move described above–even as we catch several drivers who try it while we rolled.
And while Hartman says police can’t give tickets to drivers who do attempt the move, it is still an action that shouldn’t be happening.