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UK candidate Leadsom drops out of PM race, leaving only May

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Okla Elliott: Ranked-choice voting would expand choices, perhaps make presidential election more palatable

<p>Would it be a good idea to &#8230;</p><p>&#8230; pop vehicles&#8217; tires to prevent wayward drivers from potentially causing a tragedy?</p><p>In the past 10 months, a spate of wrong-way driving crashes along the Interstate 81 corridor in our region has resulted in multiple fatalities and increased scrutiny of highway safety strategies.</p><p>Hanover Township resident Robert Burger recently submitted a letter to the editor, proposing a tried-and-true method of immobilizing cars and trucks. Install traffic-control spikes on exit ramps so that, much like in certain parking garages, people who try to go against the flow will face the consequences. &#8220;(The spike strips) would give the wrong-way drivers flat tires,&#8221; he wrote, &#8220;and prevent head-on crashes.&#8221;</p><p>Two months ago, three people died in a collision in Susquehanna County. The driver of a pickup truck heading north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81 was among those killed; six others were injured.</p><p>The incident marked the fifth time since October that area news media reported on wrong-way crashes along Interstate 81 in Northeastern Pennsylvania. All five crashes occurred in southbound lanes.</p><p>Five people died following a late January smashup on I-81 between Dickson City and Clarks Summit. A Lake Ariel man faces homicide by vehicle and other charges; prosecutors say he was under the influence of alcohol and had marijuana in his system.</p><p>The state&#8217;s Department of Transportation announced in May that it would devote more than $775,000 to projects in the region intended to minimize the likelihood of wrong-way and other crashes. Signs will be added this month to certain off-ramps from interstates 80, 81 and 84, as well as the Casey Highway, according to PennDOT. Likewise, many existing signs will be treated to increase their reflectivity.</p><p>Are those actions adequate?</p><p>Is disabling a vehicle with spikes a viable option? Do you have other suggestions for lessening the risk of wrong-way drivers accessing the interstate?</p><p>Give us your feedback by sending a letter to the editor or posting comments to this editorial at timesleader.com.</p><p>Likewise, tell us your ideas for improving the community. Maybe we&#8217;ll spotlight your suggestion in a future editorial and ask readers, &#8220;Would it be a good idea to &#8230;&#8221;</p><style>
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Our Opinion: Traffic-control spikes might put stop to wrong-way crashes on interstate