Comments on: Three Injured In Head-on Highway 97 Crash In Walnut Hill

By: John in walnut hill

John in walnut hill — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 16:48:23 +0000

Just so you all know a tractor or slower moving type of equipment has the right of way before you as a motorist, in Florida as well as in Alabama. They do not have to let you pass, they do so out of courtesy. Its 55mph on 97 most of the way, you got to slow down at Ernest ward and the Mennonite school 35mh to 45mph, then slow down for Molino park school 45mph. Every week i travel that road, i can be going 55-60mph and still be tailgated and passed. FHP could fill their yearly quota just patrolling 97 from hwy 4 down.

By: FireKat

FireKat — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 05:36:10 +0000

I travel that road a lot and I see people passing on a double yellow just about every time I go to work. Lately I’ve been getting behind people who drive below speed limit or men driving tractors and not moving over to the shoulder to left us pass. We need more cops patrolling 97 catching the people who drive below and above speed limit. Hwy 97 is busy enough that it needs alternate double lanes. Something has to be done with Skippers Hill too.

By: MR REALITY

MR REALITY — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 18:25:55 +0000

Just close the road….

By: Bella

Bella — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 17:03:16 +0000

While I was in Texas a few years ago I was driving on a lot of 2 lane road. They had paved shoulders. A lot of considerate drivers would move onto the shoulder when you approached them from behind. After you had passed, they would move back into the driving lane. That really impressed me. It takes courtesy, patience and awareness of your surroundings. Too many drivers only care about themselves. You are just in their way.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 15:57:09 +0000

One of the biggest problems on 97 is the people doing 40 on a highway that’s 55 mph. Long lines of cars get behind this slow poke then someone at the end wants to pass. If your not in a hurry PULL OVER or turn on a side road and let the people pass. I have done this several times *although I do 55. I see a person behind me getting impatient so I turn off when I can perhaps saving their life, mine and oncoming traffic. I saw my dad do this years ago rather than upset the people behind him and himself and remembered his good example. Have some consideration if not for others lives, then atleast for your own.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 14:18:56 +0000

It still amazes me that, in this day and age, people won’t wear seatbelts. So often, these life-altering or life-ending incidents would be nothing more than a wild story to be told a few months on.

By: John in Walnut Hill

John in Walnut Hill — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 13:59:08 +0000

I had just wanted my girls and wife just two weeks ago about something just like this. As I’m pulling out of Wiggins Lake Rd and heading south to go to post office a pick up truck just like the dark one in this pic swerved into the southbound lane as he was heading north. It happened just as you get to the bottom of the hill past Wiggins Lake RD. If I hadn’t seen him and got off to the right into the grass we would have had a head on collision too. He left and continued driving northbound and swerving back and forth across the yellow lines. These are the quiet things that happen when few are there to see it except you and the irresponsible criminally negligent driver

By: Niknak50

Niknak50 — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 13:15:10 +0000

@gobble
Not a bad idea to four lane 97 but how many years to do it is the kicker.
Judging by current rates of construction you’re looking at 15 plus years at the current rate. IMO

By: Gobble on Gobbler Rd

Gobble on Gobbler Rd — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 12:57:40 +0000

I agree with all of the above, however, how about the state make this a 4 LANE HIGHWAY? This would let the slower people stay in the right lane and the NASCAR drivers can fight over the left lane. There is so much traffic throughout the day and there is not enough police/sherriff/state troopers to patrol it 24/7. Escambia county is way too large for that!

By: Lou

Lou — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 12:22:35 +0000

We travel this road frequently……there are at least two kind of driving hazards on 97… either they are going 45 in a 55 or 70 and above in a 55. The slow drivers are just as hazardous!