BONSALL, Calif. - A North County community wants change at an intersection that has been the scene to many crashes, including some fatal wrecks.
Bonsall residents Kelly Martino and Jeannine Oxarart think the intersection of Gopher Canyon Road and Fairview Drive is too dangerous. The women said thousands of drivers come through the intersection every day.
"Instead of using the [state Route] 76 or the [state Route] 78, they're using Gopher Canyon," said Oxarart.
Oxarart added the people are driving too fast, recklessly or irresponsibly.
"I can't even tell you how many people have ended up in the ditch," she said, pointing to a drop along the road.
The two-lane road doesn't have a buffer area where cars can safely turn on and off of Fairview Drive.
"I'm scared for my life," said Martino, who sent 10News dozens of pictures of accidents at the intersection.
Oxarart said she was hit several years ago by an off-duty police officer.
"[He] was too close and not paying attention, and he rear-ended me," she said.
Martino said four people have died in the intersection in the last five years.
"We've already had deaths on this road. How many more have to die before they fix the problem?" Oxarart said, referring to San Diego County officials.
Martino said she has been harping on county officials to change the intersection for years. They want to add a center lane to make turning safer.
A county spokeswoman told 10News they have funded a study to see if the intersection needs to be fixed and whether it can be changed. She said their statistics show the intersection has fewer accidents than the statewide average for similar intersections.
"I get rear-ended and I'm going to be a real squeaky wheel, that's for sure," said Martino.
The county is expected to complete that engineering study by June 2017.
