According to an
investigation by a Cleveland, Ohio television news program, aging Bott’s dots are being kicked up by motorists and
flung at trailing cars, with disastrous results. As many of the steel reflectors weigh-in at a frightening
5-pounds, the potential for harm appears obvious.
According to an 85-page report published by the Ohio
Department of Transportation, there are hundreds of reports of reflectors flying through the air like so much shrapnel,
cutting tires, crashing through windshields, etc. In Ohio alone, records point to some 68 cases over the last three
years. The story goes on to mention head cuts, nearly lost eyes, and even death as the result of the road
reflectors.
Suburban Chicago appears to offer a better alternative, using 4-ounce plastic units, which are
presently undergoing testing for use in Ohio. Annual statewide surveys of each and every reflector are
planned.
What’s the situation like in your neck of the woods?
[Source: WEWS NewsNet5]