Shoulder-riders nabbed on Rt. 53 in Addison

Drivers be warned.

Addison police say there's a reason for the solid, white line painted on the shoulder of Route 53 -- to prevent you from crossing it.

That line hasn't been enough to stop vehicles from riding the shoulder and causing nine accidents so far this year, though.

So police this week conducted a special rush-hour traffic enforcement patrol along a mile-long stretch of Route 53 in Addison, between Woodland and Byron avenues. It netted 42 tickets.

The point, Addison Police Chief Timothy Hayden said, is to deter rear-end collisions on the heavily traveled two-lane road. He said drivers often slow or stop to make left turns, then the following car uses the shoulder to illegally dart around the car that has slowed to turn.

Sometimes, that results in the next car in line suddenly coming upon the turning car and a rear-end collision ensues.

"The third car can't see far enough ahead and doesn't have time to stop," Hayden said.

Last year, 14 accidents were reported along this stretch of Route 53. Police said most involved rear-ending and some caused injuries.

"On a two-lane road like that, the accident rate should be next to nothing," Hayden said. "I don't think the street is designed to handle the amount of traffic as well as the number of cars that make left turns."

However, one Addison business owner argued that the traffic sting, which happened Monday, only worsened traffic on Route 53.

Michael Raimondo, who said he was ticketed for improper passing, said he witnessed an accident caused when police tried to pull over two motorists.

"Unlike a seat belt or DUI check, which local police routinely do, this sting was poorly orchestrated and supervised," Raimondo said in an e-mail.

Police said a rear-end accident was reported at 5:20 p.m. Monday on Route 53 was at Whispering Court, within the enforcement area. But Hayden said it was unrelated to police activity.