Get their attention

A traffic fatality occurred last week at the intersection of state Highways 108 and 51. One person was killed; four others were injured. There have been other accidents at this intersection.

This is a T-intersection. Motorists traveling south on S.H. 108 must stop since motorists on S.H. 51 have the right-of-way.

Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation need to reassess this intersection in regard to safety — and consider installing a flashing caution light at the intersection to alert motorists on both highways.

Chatter strips on S.H. 108 would alert motorists of the approaching intersection. The installation of a flashing caution light at the top of the hill north of the intersection might help, too.

Motorists do not like chatter strips on the highway but they get their attention. We’d rather be annoyed by them and alerted of an approaching dangerous intersection than not have them.

Whether the chatter strips or the caution flashing light would have prevented the fatality accident last week is debatable.

But they might have saved a life, and prevented the injuries.