Stepdad Of Man Fatally Struck In Ocean City Calls For Changes

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The stepfather of a man fatally struck by a vehicle in Ocean City pleaded to City Council to make the intersection of the accident safer. Thomas F. Gibbons Jr. died after he and his wife were struck by a car May 25 at Eighth Street and Bay Avenue.

Dr. John Albert, Gibbons's stepfather, made a case Thursday to City Council that the intersection is dangerous. Albert said he and his wife were almost hit in the same intersection last year. He listed the names of several people who he said have almost been hit there.

"I’m not looking for sympathy," Albert said. "I’m looking for action."

Gibbons and his wife, Stephanie, were struck after a driver going west on Eighth Street turned left on Bay Avenue. Police said afterward that no charges had been filed but the accident was under investigation.

Albert suggested several ways to make the intersection safer:

• Divide the area into two lanes for drivers going westbound on 8th Street to Bay Avenue. Make the left lane a left-only lane and allow drivers to go straight or right in the right lane.
• The light facing westbound traffic on Eighth Street should have a red turning arrow for that left lane.
• The few parking spaces in the area should be sacrificed to minimize driving distractions.
• The bike lane should be moved over next to the sidewalk.

Albert made an impassioned, research-heavy plea for change. Ocean City Council let him go well beyond the three-minute maximum they set for public comments. During Albert's comments, several members in the crowd stood up to say they have narrowly avoided being struck at that intersection.

Gibbons, 47, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, worked as an engineer for Broadcom. His duties included assessing risk. Read more: Man Killed In Ocean City Crash Was An Engineer, Father, Husband

"Tom assessed risk at Eighth and Bay Avenue and was killed because he had the wrong data walking into that intersection," Albert said. "That intersection is dangerous, and I’m going to prove it tonight. And it needs to be changed immediately."

Albert brought up what the Center for Disease Control calls the three types of distractions while driving:

• Visual: taking your eyes off the road
• Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive: taking your mind off driving

Albert brought up examples of potential visual distractions at the intersection, such as the bay, the marshlands, the bridge, utility poles and parked cars. He said seeing the bridge could be an emotional distraction that creates excitement.

"They’re excited they’re going to hit that bridge shortly," Albert said. "They’re making the left-hand turn."

Then he noted that drivers have a green light that allows them to turn left into a crosswalk that simultaneously has a walking symbol.

Gregg Wolfe, a 30-year resident of Ocean City, said the intersection of Eighth Street and Bay Avenue is the closest he's come to getting struck.

"It certainly puts things in perspective," said Councilman Bob Barr, echoing sentiments from other members.

Mayor Jay Gillian said after the meeting that city officials plan to contact the county to immediately discuss possible changes to make the intersection safer, according to OCNJ Daily.

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