The intersection that was the sight of a fatal crash on Sunday has been reported as being particularly dangerous, but according to authorities, it is no different than any other intersection.
The collision at the T-intersection of Highway 556 and Highway 9 near Balzac killed a Saskatchewan man and sent five others to the hospital.
Between 2003 and 2008, there have been 10 collisions at that intersection, averaging out to two per year, said Trent Bancarz of Alberta Transportation.
“Given the traffic volumes there, it’s quite low,” he explained.
“In terms of design, it’s a good intersection; the sight lines are very good. There’s no reason by design that that should be dangerous.”
Garth Rabel, district chief with Rocky View County fire services, said other factors could be contributing to collisions in the area.
He speculates that drivers may be more inclined to let their guard down on less-populated roads in rural areas.
“We regularly see distractions such as cellphones, text messages, music and kids in the car blaring and running around,” said Rabel. “We can’t be distracted, we have to keep our focus on what we’re doing.”
In terms of Sunday’s accident, Rabel said when he arrived on scene, road conditions and visibility were not an issue.
The RCMP has yet to complete its investigation to determine the cause of the collision.
“I think it’s a well set-up intersection it’s just, for whatever reason, there’s collisions there,” said Rabel.
