Big death signs

[Kniwt]

I saw this sign on FL 997 today (as of today, the number is 3), and it got me to wondering what other so-called "blood alleys" have traditional signs (not digital signs) that give a rolling count of dead people? I seem to remember some in the Midwest back in the day, particularly along the bad parts of US 20. But are they still a thing?

And, somewhat tangentially, is three deaths a year on a 40-mile stretch of road enough to warrant the big yellow signs? The northern half of FL 997 has been upgraded to four-lane expressway and is now really, really nice, even though it has an insanely low 55mph limit. The southern half is still a nasty mess; in fact, I happened upon a four-vehicle rear-end collision that forced everyone to detour through a gas station parking lot.

[ErmineNotyours]

The only sign I know is digital, counting up the days since the last serious accident.  It's eastbound on US 2 outside of Snohomish, Washington.  Street View just misses it.  You can see the back of the sign, and then they drop to older images.  You can see it in this photo from SR Web.

[ipeters61]

Delaware tends to have them near the state police troops.  I track the fatalities along with other agencies within the state so I do make note of them.  However, we don't have any specific to any corridors that I'm aware of, but we're a very small state.

Headquarters (Dover): https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1930891,-75.5458007,3a,23.4y,345.99h,84.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBwnKzNwfPpG3UddZ5xn7dA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Troop 2 (Glasgow): https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6068522,-75.7295941,3a,15.1y,129.43h,87.27t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqIP5u2udKp7F8xQv8FVmxw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Troop 6 (Marshallton): https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7370049,-75.6271773,3a,15.1y,332.4h,89.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sizlxoUARsSpWs3lgBUKhKA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There's also this fire deaths sign on DE-896 between Newark and Glasgow: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6307109,-75.7438623,3a,15y,214.32h,87.98t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1ss2tRc66Od6di9CGWX7nMwg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Ds2tRc66Od6di9CGWX7nMwg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D274.74603%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[Max Rockatansky]

Southern Florida has a lot of the "kill counter" signs on what has been deemed to be dangerous highways.  Generally they tend to be the two-lane variants like FL 997 and US 1 in the Keys:

997FLe by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

I watched the US 1 Kill Counter get up to 18 one year when I lived in Key West.  I have my photo somewhere but I can't seem to find it at the moment.

[MikieTimT]

Arkansas used to have one on US71 north of Alma and south of Fayetteville before I-540/49 was completed on that segment, but don't have it anymore since it's merely a scenic route now that the truck and Arkansas/Texas weekend college student traffic have moved off it.  That road was definitely functionally obsolete long before the interstate went in, but it's a fun drive now without all the through traffic burden.  As long as they can keep a couple of sections from sliding off the mountain.

[kphoger]

is three deaths a year on a 40-mile stretch of road enough to warrant the big yellow signs?

I'd say it definitely depends on the AADT of the road in question.  The length of highway doesn't really matter;  AADT is the "population size".

[US71]

Arkansas used to have those along US 71.

X number of deaths in the last three years.
Don't you be next.

They were removed when I-540 (now 49) was opened.

[Kniwt]

Headquarters (Dover): https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1930891,-75.5458007,3a,23.4y,345.99h,84.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBwnKzNwfPpG3UddZ5xn7dA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Interesting that they use "seatbelts used" instead of "seatbelts not used." One would think they'd want to stress the importance of using seatbelts, not that using them will get you killed anyway.

[Roadgeekteen]

I saw this sign on FL 997 today (as of today, the number is 3), and it got me to wondering what other so-called "blood alleys" have traditional signs (not digital signs) that give a rolling count of dead people? I seem to remember some in the Midwest back in the day, particularly along the bad parts of US 20. But are they still a thing?

And, somewhat tangentially, is three deaths a year on a 40-mile stretch of road enough to warrant the big yellow signs? The northern half of FL 997 has been upgraded to four-lane expressway and is now really, really nice, even though it has an insanely low 55mph limit. The southern half is still a nasty mess; in fact, I happened upon a four-vehicle rear-end collision that forced everyone to detour through a gas station parking lot.

I've seen things like that on bike trails, but I have never seen the number above 0.

[wanderer2575]

I don't have a photo, but Michigan posts on freeway VMSs at least once a month the year-to-date statewide roadway death count along with a comparison (over or under) to last year's death count as of the same date.

[riiga]

No counters here, the closest we have are signs like these saying

E4 through Södermanland [county]
accident-prone road
Drive carefully!

[ipeters61]

Headquarters (Dover): https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1930891,-75.5458007,3a,23.4y,345.99h,84.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBwnKzNwfPpG3UddZ5xn7dA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Interesting that they use "seatbelts used" instead of "seatbelts not used." One would think they'd want to stress the importance of using seatbelts, not that using them will get you killed anyway.

You know, I had a different perspective on that actually.  Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists can't use seat belts to protect themselves on the road!  We have a sign in the building where I work and I think of that every day.

[formulanone]

Although long since removed, the "STOP DEATH" rail road crossing in Grenada, Mississippi needs to be posted:



(From the Mississippi State Archives.)

[Truvelo]

Some counties in England have signs showing the number of deaths compared to the same period the previous year. 2016 was obviously a bad year.

[kphoger]

They must have built some new crash-prone roundabouts.

[Roadgeekteen]

They must have built some new crash-prone roundabouts.

How did that thread last so long?

[kphoger]

did

It's still open.

[1995hoo]

This past weekend, the VMS units on I-95 in Georgia were displaying this year's overall fatality count and the motorcycle-specific count, alternating with an admonition to drive safely.

[nexus73]

Although long since removed, the "STOP DEATH" rail road crossing in Grenada, Mississippi needs to be posted:



(From the Mississippi State Archives.)

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

[Scott5114]

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

Yeah, all the digital devices that were in use in 1940 were such a huge distraction that the US didn't even notice World War II had started.

[nexus73]

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

Yeah, all the digital devices that were in use in 1940 were such a huge distraction that the US didn't even notice World War II had started.

Good thing we did not have digital devices then, eh?  LOL!

Rick

[formulanone]

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

Yeah, all the digital devices that were in use in 1940 were such a huge distraction that the US didn't even notice World War II had started.

Good thing we did not have digital devices then, eh?  LOL!

Rick

N73 Error: Trying to insert tired narrative where it doesn't belong.

The big yellow signs are a recent Florida thing; this one on the other end of Krome Avenue went up in January 2018:



Krome (FL 997) was entirely two lanes but as a lot of truck and commuter traffic used it, impatient drivers could make it dangerous during rush hours. I once eased myself off gently to avoid someone who insisted on passing multiple cars on Krome Avenue.

By contrast, they also used to put a counter on the number of endangered Florida Panther left in the wild, around SR 29 and SR 951. Vehicle strikes were the leading cause of death. I recall the numbers went down to 30 or so, but in the late-1990s, conservation efforts increased (and their numbers to about 200) and the signs went away.

[cjk374]

Although long since removed, the "STOP DEATH" rail road crossing in Grenada, Mississippi needs to be posted:



(From the Mississippi State Archives.)

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

I wish this was the standard crossing signal everywhere. I have always loved this.

[sparker]

Although long since removed, the "STOP DEATH" rail road crossing in Grenada, Mississippi needs to be posted:



(From the Mississippi State Archives.)

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

I wish this was the standard crossing signal everywhere. I have always loved this.

Add gates that look like swords and you'd have an even more convincing presentation.  I only wish that someone would have photographed the sign from another perspective; it looks like it straddles both the road and the RR tracks on an angle.  Definitely enough clearance for the trains of its day (no double-stack back then!).

[GenExpwy]

Although long since removed, the "STOP DEATH" rail road crossing in Grenada, Mississippi needs to be posted:



(From the Mississippi State Archives.)

That sign will definitely get your attention...unless you are stuck on your digital device...LOL! 

Rick

I wish this was the standard crossing signal everywhere. I have always loved this.

Add gates that look like swords and you'd have an even more convincing presentation.  I only wish that someone would have photographed the sign from another perspective; it looks like it straddles both the road and the RR tracks on an angle.  Definitely enough clearance for the trains of its day (no double-stack back then!).

I think the best part is that, according to Wikipedia, instead of a bell it had an air raid siren.