CARMEL VALLEY — At its latest meeting Dec. 11, the Carmel Valley Planning Board discussed safety issues at the intersection of Del Mar Heights Road and Seagrove Street, an area which residents say has been dangerous for quite some time.

The problem, according to residents at the meeting, starts with eastbound traffic on Del Mar Heights Road that curves around a blind corner as it approaches Seagrove Street. Residents complained that when leaving Seagrove Street to make a right turn onto Del Mar Heights Road, there have been way too many close calls — even if drivers are being careful.

Theresa Burnley lives near the intersection and said she deals with the problem almost every day. She went before the board and described several incidents over the past few weeks in which drivers barely avoided major accidents.

“We know what the problem is,” Burnley said. “We wait and try to be careful at the light, and it’s still really dangerous.”

Residents also said that when making the right turn off of Del Mar Heights Road onto Seagrove Street, they are often tailgated by angry drivers who don’t realize there is an intersection coming up.

The discussion came in the wake of a traffic accident that occurred at the intersection in October. A vehicle heading eastbound on Del Mar Heights Road crashed into a car that was entering the intersection from Seagrove Street. Both drivers were teenagers, one of whom was seriously injured.

Gary Pence, a traffic engineer with the city of San Diego, was at the meeting to present his latest analysis of the troublesome intersection.

He said that during the last week of November, the city took the first step by lowering the speed limit on that particular stretch of Del Mar Heights Road from 55 mph to 45 mph. Pence said it is highly unlikely that the speed limit can go any lower than that.

“Speed laws are governed by state law and the data that is gathered from speed surveys,” Pence said.

In addition, he said that more time has been added to the yellow lights at the intersection.

Planning board member Laura Copic raised the point that there are three major high schools not far from the intersection, with Cathedral Catholic High School just down the road.

“There are a lot of inexperienced drivers that go up and down that stretch of road,” Copic said.

The board voted unanimously to request that the city of San Diego look into making improvements to the intersection.

Possible improvements could include raising the height of the traffic signal, installing a right-hand turn lane on Del Mar Heights Road that leads onto Seagrove Street and flashing beacons warning of the upcoming intersection.

The flashing beacons would be located a few hundred feet from the intersection — one on the median and one on the side of the road — facing eastbound traffic.

The planning board also expressed support for a camera system, which would take photographs of cars running the red light and result in a fine of $351.

The city of San Diego will now conduct further studies to see which combinations of improvements would best fit the intersection.

“I’d like to see a camera system go in as soon as possible,” said board member Anne Harvey. “I think that would be very effective.”