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American Morning

Revealing the Country's Most Dangerous Intersections

Aired June 27, 2001 - 10:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Poet Robert Frost wrote of the virtues of taking the road less traveled -- well, this morning, a reminder that your life could depend on just that plan. About a half hour ago, one of the nation's top insurers released a list of the ten most dangerous intersections in the United States. Not surprisingly, they crisscrossed the country.

According to State Farm Insurance, the most dangerous crossroads meet in Pembroke Pines, Florida. But Philadelphia holds the second and third places on the list, with two intersections less than a dozen miles apart -- Phoenix, Arizona and Tulsa rounding out the top five. They also lead the second half of the top ten list. Smaller towns have their own claim to shame: Frisco, Texas, and Metairie, Louisiana -- Sacramento, California, holding the No. 10 spot. State Farm says its rankings are based on accident claims.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN NEPOMUCEMO, STATE FARM INSURANCE: Since State Farm opened its doors and sold its first auto insurance policy in 1922, we've been -- we've made a promise to our -- to that first customer that we would protect him from loss. Since then and in keeping with that promise, we've initiated many auto and highway safety initiatives aimed at reducing the injuries to people and the damage to cars that result from crashes. This is just one more of those initiatives that we feel can have an impact on highway safety.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: All right, let's check in on Florida on what State Farm says is the intersection identified as the nation's "Most Dangerous." That's where we find reporter Cristina Gonzalez. She is with our affiliate WPLG. And she is at the corner of Flamingo Road and Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines.

Cristina, good morning.

CRISTINA GONZALEZ, WPLG REPORTER: Good morning.

Well, that study looked over two years as to how many accidents were at these intersections. And right here on Pines Boulevard and Flamingo Road, there were 357 accidents during that time period.

Now, if we take a live look from our mast cam, this intersection is bordered on three sides by malls -- very busy malls at that -- and on one side by a popular park. Pines Boulevard has become of the busiest east-west thoroughfares in the county. This is Broward County. There are some 90,000 cars that cross through here, this intersection, each and every day.

Now, as far as what the city of Pembroke Pines is trying to do to alleviate some of this congestion here, they tell us they're thinking about building a flyover at another location to see if some of the traffic actually moves in that direction. They have also done quite a bit of traffic enforcement to try and stop some of the speeding and red light running in this area. So that's the latest from Pembroke Pines -- back to you.

KAGAN: Cristina, does this come as a surprise to folks in Pembroke Pines?

GONZALEZ: City leaders actually had some warning about this study. About two years ago, State Farm did the same study. And at that time, Pembroke Pines ranked fourth on their list. So they do realize they have a problem out here. The big question is just how to solve it.

KAGAN: And they haven't quite figured that one out yet.

Well, Cristina, you be careful out there in that intersection.

Cristina Gonzalez with our affiliate WPLG bringing us that live report from what State Farm says is the "most dangerous intersection in America -- more on that a little bit later.

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