Valpo releases vehicle crash data for 2012
Post-Tribune staff report January 29, 2013 3:24PM
Traffic navigates in and out of the roundabout at Sturdy and Lincolnway in Valparaiso, Ind. Thursday February 7, 2013. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media
Related Stories
Updated: March 12, 2013 6:02AM
VALPARAISO — Drivers failing to yield the right of way appeared to be the most common reason for crashes within the Valparaiso city limits in 2012.
The highest number of collisions reported at any intersection was at the roundabout at LaPorte Avenue, Sturdy Road and Lincolnway with 28. The LaPorte Avenue/Silhavy Road intersection followed closely with 27, and the Indiana 2/Indiana 49 intersection had 26, according to the Valparaiso Police Department’s year-end statistics for 2012. All are among the busiest intersections in the city. These three intersections combined accounted for less than 5 percent of the city’s 1,702 crashes.
“Most of them (involved) failure to yield,” said Sgt. Michael Grennes, the Police Department public information officer.
The next three most hazardous spots intersected with Morthland Drive/U.S. 30; 180 crashes happened on that stretch within city limits, most notably at Strongbow Centre, 23 crashes; Washington Street, 17; and Sturdy Road, 15.
The other streets with high crash figures were Calumet Avenue with 146; Lincolnway with 107; and LaPorte Avenue with 98.
A majority — 87.9 percent — of the crashes involved property damage. Meanwhile, 273 injuries were reported from 206 crashes — 12.1 percent of the total.
