Parsons Making Changes After Road Study
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PARSONS, Tenn. – Every time emergency dispatch radios a car wreck, Parsons Police Chief Dale King said his heart stops knowing they are probably friends. In an attempt to keep his small town more safe he decided to do something to prevent those fatal wrecks from happening at all. “I did this study to find out, to break down statistically where our accidents were happening, what time of the day the accidents were happening, even what day they were happening,” Chief King said. The two year long study revealed drivers were at the greatest risks between 10 a.m. and 12 Noon and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. King set up officers where accidents were most likely to occur during those times so motorists would see them and instinctively slow down. John Odle lives along Highway 412 and said it used to be very dangerous for him to leave his home. “They have made the merging from driveways and side streets into the highways so much safer it’s unbelievable,” he said. According to the studies the police departments efforts to slow traffic down has cut accidents entire city by 65 percent, making residents feel more comfortable behind the wheel. “I’m sure it has saved lives. I know that it has saved mega-dollars in property damage,” Odle said. Chief King said he believes if other cities did similar studies it could save lives across the state and even the country. “Yes, if we have an accident of course we respond and help in any way we can, however I wanna catch it before we have the accident,” King said. Residents said they see the difference a small adjustment has made to their safety. “I think it is revolutionary that we have initiated a program like this that can actually save taxpayers money and make the community a safer place to live,” Odle said. Chief King said the study is ongoing to continue finding new ways to save and protect more Parsons citizens.
