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Safer driving behind gas giveaway in Warren

June 14, 2007

BY MATT HELMS

FREE PRESS DRIVING COLUMNIST

The intersection of 13 Mile and Mound roads was a madhouse this morning with drivers lined up for miles to get free gas at the Fast Track station as part of an insurance company’s promotion to cities with improved rankings of safe drivers.

Allstate said its 2005-2007 study of driving records found that Flint and Warren drivers ranked third and fourth in the nation in years between accidents at 13.4 and 13.3 respectively – behind Sioux Falls, S.D., and Ft. Collins, Colo.

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Five Michigan cities landed the top five spots in the insurer’s most-improved category – Flint, Warren, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Sterling Heights. Residents in these cities increased the length of time between crashes by two or three years, Allstate said.

None of that seemed to matter to folks nearly as much as the prospect of 10 free gallons of gas. The line stretched for at least two miles on eastbound 13 Mile starting around 5 a.m.

Folks waited for hours but said it was worth it.

“I got 10 gallons of gas – that was some good savings for me,” said Felicia Hatchett, 36, a private duty nurse from Detroit who drove from the New Center area for the fill-up that would have cost around $30 at other stations.

City officials said others tried to line up as early as 1 a.m. but were turned away. The fill-ups were to run 6:30-9 a.m. or until Allstate pumped about $20,000 in fuel – or about 7,500 to 8,000 gallons.

Allstate said it expected 700 to 800 vehicles would be refueled by morning’s end.

Traffic on Mound and 13 Mile was stop and go all morning. Warren police were directing traffic.

Warren Police Chief Jere Green credited Warren’s ranking and improvement to road improvements including dedicated left-turn lanes with green arrows and right- turn lanes that help make intersections safer. He also credited the police department’s 14-member patrol support division with strong traffic enforcement.