In a startling incident captured on surveillance video, a Camaro speeding south on Tyler Street careened off course just before Polk Street in North Oak Cliff.
The vehicle missed a curve, ascended the gentle slope of a roundabout, went airborne, and ultimately crashed into a patch of grass before slamming into a newly constructed townhouse.
What is truly miraculous is that no one was killed in the process.
Shortly after the Camaro crash, another vehicle was seen speeding into the frame, jumping a curb, and narrowly missing two pedestrians walking on the sidewalk.
This incident, which occurred on May 8, marks the second similar crash in this area within a single year.
While observers may be tempted to attribute the accidents to the roundabout itself, experts urge a broader perspective.
Dallas council member Chad West, who represents the area, indicated that the real issue lies not with the roundabout but with the speed at which vehicles traverse Tyler Street.
“People are just flying down,” he remarked.
Roundabouts, often seen as a solution for traffic calming, are designed to modify infrastructure in ways that discourage dangerous driving behaviors.
These circular intersections prevent severe types of collisions, such as head-on or T-bone crashes, by eliminating the right-angle approach typical of traditional intersections.
Additionally, they provide efficient traffic flow in areas where multiple streets converge at odd angles.
Across the nation, traffic circles are becoming more prevalent in newer suburban developments, like those found in Frisco, and are increasingly being added to the road infrastructure of older towns.
For instance, the small city of Hays in Kansas has implemented a series of traffic circles that enhance driver navigation on and off Interstate 70 and through its commercial districts.
Before these roundabouts, residents often avoided the area due to dangerous traffic conditions.
“We had terrible accidents there,” recalled Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty.
The city evaluated various solutions to improve traffic flow but found that addressing one problem often led to the emergence of others.
Ultimately, roundabouts emerged as the most effective solution.
Since the introduction of roundabouts in Hays in 2020, accident rates have decreased significantly, accompanied by a boost in local economic activity, according to Dougherty.
Likewise, the roundabout at Tyler and Polk has shown improvements in safety metrics.
In the three years leading up to its construction, there were 17 crashes along that stretch, including one severe injury incident.
Since the roundabout’s completion, however, only seven accidents have been reported.
In response to the recent incidents, West has initiated the installation of temporary barriers between the roundabout and nearby townhomes and is advocating for measures to further slow traffic on Tyler Street.
Recently, new but undersized roundabout signs have gone up, with larger warning signs planned to be placed at greater distances in conjunction with police enforcement to enhance safety.
As this situation illustrates, while flying Camaros may belong in action movies, they certainly do not have a place in front yards.
Residents are encouraged to share their thoughts in a letter to the editor.
image source from：https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2025/05/28/flying-camaro-is-why-dallas-needs-roundabouts/
