The Most Dangerous Corners in West Berkeley

The corners at Sixth and Addison streets are the most dangerous corners in West Berkeley. We have been living in this area since 2000 and once in a while my sons and I would hear the screeching of tires and a loud bang of cars crashing into each other, and we would say: "Oh! Oh! Here goes another one!" It happens so many times that we lost count of how many accidents occur in those corners. In June of this year there were two accidents in the same spots that my son and I decided to take some pictures. I was once almost killed crossing Sixth and Addison. The car on Addison was supposed to turn right, but went straight instead. Luckily for me it stopped just in time, so after that close call I seldom cross those corners.



I am on Addison in the corner of Sixth street going toward Berkeley hills.



The sign above the stop sign says Right Turn Only, but lots of people either go straight on Addison or make a left turn on Sixth going toward University Avenue. Some unlucky ones get hit by oncoming traffic on Sixth. Perhaps the sign should be bigger with a flashing turn left only arrow or in neon-color to help people pay more attention and see better.



At the beginning of June this car got hit by going straight toward Aquatic Park from Addison instead of turning right on Sixth. The driver of the other car just sped away. It was a hit and run case, but this gray car guy on Addison was at fault.



I am on Addison street in the corner of Sixth facing toward Aquatic Park direction. Here is another sign above the stop sign says Right Turn Only, but lots of people do not read, obey it or see it.



This car on Addison follows the rule and makes the right turn on Sixth Street.



At the end of June another accident occurs on the same corners, another gray car on Addison made the same mistake, going straight toward Aquatic Park instead of turning right on Sixth and got hit by the red truck. In most cases nobody was seriously hurt. There was an accident around 9 o'clock at night some years ago, a driver who turned left on Sixth and got hit. Her car flipped over and landed on the front yard of a building. It took firefighters a long time to cut the car door open and pull her out. Why doesn't the city do something about it? Are they waiting for somebody to die before taking any actions? Who should be blamed? The city or the driver? Perhaps both, but I think a better solution to the problem is needed to prevent a very serious accident next time to both drivers and pedestrians.