The county’s decision to phase out rumble strips puts the responsibility for safe driving squarely where it belongs &045; on the driver.

Universally, red-and-white octagon signs mean stop. If a driver is paying attention to the road &045; which we strongly advocate &045; then the signs should be enough to cause the desired reaction. Rumble strips are a costly addition to a roadway that &045; despite research &045; we highly doubt actually results in lives saved.

Some may argue anything installed at intersections to prevent accidents enhances safety. These strips are rough areas of the road, typically placed several hundred feet before a stop sign, designed to shake a driver into stopping. However, inconsistent use throughout Freeborn County, and elsewhere, makes them ineffective. At a time when highway funds are at a premium, we have to ask if the addition of rumble strips are truly the best use of those dollars.

Rumble strips are in use at only 30 of the county’s 146 stop locations. Highway staff would have to build and maintain them at an estimated $500 per site.

What’s more likely to save lives is common-sense driving, which includes, but is not limited to:

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Wearing a safety belt

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Paying attention to the road

-Obeying traffic laws, which includes following the advice on road signs

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Avoidance of risks &045;trying to outspeed a train or another car is simply foolhardy

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Not drinking and driving

In the end, safe driving ultimately rests squarely on the shoulders of the person behind the wheel.