U.S. Highway 40 is a narrow, hilly road with twists and turns along its entire route from Lawrence to Topeka.

It has changed little over the years.

“When I went off to Korea in 1953 they were talking about widening it, just like they are today,” said Eric Walther, owner of Strawberry Hill Christmas Tree Farm, 794 U.S. Highway 40.

About 4:40 p.m. Monday, a three-vehicle collision left two people dead on the highway in front of Walther’s business. Walther did not see the accident but he wasn’t surprised when he found out about it; there have been many accidents near his place over the years.

Before Monday there had been three other fatal accidents on that stretch of highway during the past two years, Kansas Department of Transportation records show.

U.S. 40 and roads like it deserve extra attention from drivers, said Kansas Highway Patrol 2nd Lt. John Eichkorn.

“Any two-lane roadway, I think you have to be a little careful of passing situations,” he said. “A road like that we would caution all people to obey the posted speed limits and watch the passing zone.”

Though passing has been a factor in other accidents, it was not in Monday’s double fatality. The car in which the two victims were riding was reportedly stopped in the road.

A lack of shoulders on the highway leaves motorists with no place to pull off. And with nowhere to have a vehicle stop, it is difficult to enforce traffic laws on the highway, Eichkorn said.

“On a two-lane roadway like that it’s better not to be in a hurry,” Eichkorn said. “One glance down to look at a piece of paper or pick up a cell phone and you can get over in the other lane in a hurry.”