The intersection of Bond/Gunderson roads has received quite a bit of ink in this column during the past year or so. That is because it — and the surrounding roadways — has spilled a lot of blood during that time.

We have stated before that it is more often the people behind the wheel, not the roads or the vehicles that lead to fatality accidents. Even so, the safety of our highways and byways cannot be wholly discounted as a factor in the high number of deaths accrued in the past months.

Bond Road is a perfect example of such a thoroughfare.

Now that its most dangerous intersection is fixed, we’re hoping motorists — especially those who somehow missed the rising death toll — will see the traffic signal as a signal for a greater change in our driving habits.

While the new light at Gunderson will likely make it much safer, one need only to travel down Bond to its intersection with State Route 305 to realize it’s not the end all be all of safety measures. Traffic signals only work if people heed them and judging by the number of “orange light” commandos out there, we’re still a ways from breaking out the champagne.

Not to detract from the feat residents in this county accomplished by pushing the Bond/Gunderson light toward completion, mind you. Those directly involved in switching the signal on deserve our thanks for everything they did.

But the real way to thank them is to diligently obey the new traffic light. Only then, when fatalities and injury accidents at Bond/Gunderson drop to next to nothing, will local motorists truly be showing their appreciation of the effort.

We owe it to those who have lost loved ones along Bond Road and ourselves to make this much needed change.