Most Downtown Crashes Caused by Human Error

There has been much conversation about what the problem in downtown Holliston is when it comes to speeds and accidents.

Last night John Moore presented the findings from the past five years worth of car crashes to the .

"Most of the accidents are slow speed and the majority of the time people aren't injured," Moore said.

According to Moore there were 100 crashes, 96 of them were the result of human error.

Five of the crashes involved pedestrians; all the people who were struck were taken to the hospital, two by life flight.

Four involved bicyclists and one involved a motorcycle.

While the rush hours had the highest frequencies of crashes, the lunch hour (11 a.m. to noon) also had a high crash rate.

Moore said most of the crashes involved a vehicle turning left on to or off of Washington Street.

The board and chief discussed various possible solutions for the area from Hollis Street to Exchange Street, including brighter lights at the crosswalks, reduced speed limits and even a traffic light at Central Street. 

"It's a serious enough issue and I think it should be looked at by a professional," Selectmen Kevin Conley said. "We want to make sure we minimalize the impact on the surrounding neighborhoods."

An officer from the police department has already contacted the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and is working to arrange a free traffic study of the area.

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