help in preventing this type of driver error. In his study, “Rural and Urban Crashes – A Comparative Analysis”, Joseph M. Tessmer compares the characteristics of crashes occurring in rural areas to the characteristics of crashes occurring in urban areas. He notes that rural accidents have a larger proportion of vehicle rollovers, head-on collisions, and fatalities per crash than those in urban areas. One significant factor contributing to the severity of these crashes is the lack of adequate road illumination (1). To make matters worse, this area is full of wildlife which frequently dart across the road. Unsuspecting tourists often have to swerve or stop abruptly to avoid hitting opossum, rabbits, and coyotes. Such occasions dictate that the driver’s judgement and reaction time remain unimpaired. Although this road has many cross-streets, leading to hillside residences, there are no stoplights or even stop signs to slow down the pace on this dangerous stretch. Signs indicate a 55-mile per hour speed limit, but with infrequent patrols by Riverside County Sheriff’s officers, I’ve noticed speeds of 70 mph and above have become commonplace. Local teens even use this road for late night drag races. All of these unsafe road conditions require even the most proficient of drivers to be especially careful, so when an inebriated driver takes to this road they are courting disaster. Although each person must take responsibility for their own actions, it is my opinion that the winery owners and the city of Temecula should bear some responsibility in seeing that the activities they promote are in accordance with public safety. In order for this to happen changes must be made. Ideally, the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association could offer incentives to each visitor who agrees to act as a designated driver. A complimentary bottle of wine could be given to that person to enjoy in the safety of his or ...
