SOME AREAS ARE WORSE FOR SPEEDERS, ACCIDENTS

Which came first: The speeder or the accident?

The Cape Girardeau Police Department is wrestling with this question. The number of speeding tickets has dropped rather dramatically because officers are spending so much time working traffic accidents. But a prime cause of traffic accidents is speeding.

A growth of traffic volume in the city is blamed.

As a general rule, Cape Girardeau police handle speeding with a common-sense approach. Officers allow a little leeway to motorists and aren't always camped out with radar or laser guns at every corner.

But if speeding is to blame for a growing number of accidents, then the police should rightly refocus its efforts to slow down zooming traffic.

Motorists should take particular care at these prime accident locations:

-- Interstate 55 between Nash Road and Route 74

-- Independence between Kingshighway and Leming

-- Mount Auburn between Gordonville and William

-- Kingshighway between Kurre Lane and Lexington.

Many people feel pressured by today's fast-paced world. But when you're in a hurry, nothing slows you down like an accident.