HCSO to patrol US Highway 290 to slow amount of crashes in Dripping Springs
DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — The Hays County Sheriff's Office has a warning for drivers in Dripping Springs: drive safely and slow down.
In a Facebook post, HCSO said starting Monday, deputies will work with Hays County Constables Precinct 4 and Precinct 5 to enforce traffic laws on U.S. Highway 290 in Dripping Springs.
Hays County Sheriff's Deputy Anthony Hipolito said it will be a zero tolerance traffic operation to reduce the number of crashes up and down Highway 290.
"Trying to get people to slow down and trying to get people to stay in their lane. Trying to get people not to use the center turn lane as another lane of traffic just to get by," Deputy Hipolito said.
What crashes are residents seeing?
This past Friday, Brandon Meier said he and his son were driving on Highway 290 in Dripping Springs when a wrong-way driver was headed towards them.
"I got into the middle lane, pulled over, and then I'm looking back and the guy just had a head on collision with the car behind us," Meier said.
He said it was a particularly scary moment because he had his son in the backseat.
"There's so many families out here that it is a concern," Meier said.
Meier is relieved more deputies will be patrolling, and said he will continue being alert as he hits the road.
"Try to be the best defensive driver you can. Always be on your toes," Meier said.
Why focus on Dripping Springs?
Hipolito said they are focusing on Dripping Springs because it has become a hot spot for car crashes in the past year.
"34% of those traffic accidents happened right here in the middle of Dripping Springs, one mile stretch, along US 290 and Ranch Road 12," Hipolito said.
He said it could likely be attributed to the growth in the area.
"As the population continues to boom out here in Dripping Springs, the more cars are going to be on the road and with more cars comes the probability of the accidents going up," Hipolito said.
When do most crashes happen?
Between March 2022 and the end of February 2023, 74% of Hays County car crashes happened during the day between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to HCSO.
Eighteen percent of crashes happened on Wednesdays, which is the most of all the days of the week.
Sunday had the least amount of accidents with 9%, according to data provided by HCSO.
KXAN's Sarah Al-Shaikh will have more on this story. You can watch on KXAN News at 9 and 10.