Bay Bridge S-Curve: 50 days, 40 accidents, now somebody got killed.

“What are they going to do about that?” That is the question, posed by Tahir Sheikh Fakhar’s brother Naveed Anjum. There have now been 44 S-Curve crashes in just nine weeks.

The cause of Mr. Tahir Sheikh Fakhar’s death was an inadequate three foot guard rail at the apex of the s-curve itself. Caltrans knows that such a sharp curve, in an unexpected location, with such a dramatic drop, needs a guard rail much greater than three feet to prevent semi-trucks from plunging into the bay.

CHP Sgt. Trent Cross said Highway Patrol officials believe the S-curve is safe. “We don’t believe it’s a design flaw,” he said. “There’s nothing tricky or complicated about the curve. I can stand here with confidence and say that if you drive the posted speed limit, you will make it through the curve safely, just as thousands of drivers do every day.” If there is no design flaw why are professional truck drivers suddenly crashing with such frequency?

Caltrans claims they are installing more signs, reflective strips and radar boards that flash drivers’ speeds as they approach the Bay Bridge S-Curve aka Dead Man’s Curve.

Last week, a motorcyclist suffered a broken leg when he ran into the back of truck at the curve. On Oct. 14, a Safeway big rig truck flopped across four lanes when it hit the S-curve, tying up westbound truck for hours.