Drivers flout laws at Brookvale intersection where Jo-Ann Thwaites died, sparking calls for traffic lights

PRESSURE  is mounting on Roads and Maritime Services to install traffic lights at the road junction where an Allambie Heights grandmother died.

• Brookvale crash: Jo-Ann Thwaites’ sons speak of anguish
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• Stop sign fails to deter drivers racing through
• Truck driver allegedly threw evidence in bin

PRESSURE  is mounting on Roads and Maritime Services to install traffic lights at the road junction where an Allambie Heights grandmother died.

In a Manly Daily audit of drivers at the corner of Old Pittwater Rd and Condamine St in Brookvale, 73 of 100 drivers ignored new stop signs installed about three weeks ago.

Jo-Ann Thwaites, 60, was hit and killed by a truck while on a pedestrian crossing at the corner in May and RMS erected stop signs in response to her death.

After the signs were installed, police fined 42 people for failing to stop.

Johnathan, Cassie, Jo-Ann and Nicholas Thwaites on Mother’s Day.

Calls are strengthening for a set of lights to govern the intersection where Jo-Ann Thwaites was killed. Picture: Phil Rogers.

Northern Beaches Police duty officer Inspector Guy Magee said police were “disappointed that motorists are failing to obey the stop signs”. He said police would continue to monitor the site.

Pedestrian Council of Australia president Harold Scruby said the new stop signs were “a joke” and “absolutely ineffective”, and urged the State Government to “embrace technology” and install traffic lights.

“People don’t obey stop signs ... but people stop at lights,” he said. “How often do you ever see people running a red? It is unusual you don’t see 70 to 80 per cent of people running a red light.

“Mrs Thwaites’ death demands action, not more advertising campaigns. I have not heard one politician mention the words road safety in the last month.

“Why are we fixated on greyhounds, yet not a word about the 221 road deaths or the 46 pedestrians killed this year?”

He called for an “independent commissioner or ombudsman who could override the RMS”.

The RMS has put in a stop signs, but drivers are ignoring them at the intersection. Picture: Phil Rogers.

During Monday’s audit most drivers only stopped at the sign because they were forced to wait for traffic on Condamine St.

A large majority did not stop again at the sign after being stationary while waiting for a break in the traffic.

Mrs Thwaites’ sons Johnathan and Nick called for a set of lights for the entire strip instead of a zebra cro­ssing immediately after her death. Johnathan Thwaites said the RMS should remove “ambiguity” from the strip.

“At that intersection someone thinks they are safe to cross and it is ambiguous to the driver,” he said in May.

RMS conducted its own audit early last week to determine if any other safety measures were needed.

An RMS spokeswoman said it was “currently reviewing the results of the safety audit to determine the next steps to improve the intersection”.

She said the review would be completed “soon” and RMS was “continuing to work with police to enforce the current traffic controls in place”.