Collision hot spots: intersections to keep an eye on

Bad weather, slick roads and a quick red light; that’s all you need to ruin your day. Terrell Marshall found that out firsthand this morning.

An icy patch at the intersection of 5th Ave N and Mayor Magrath Drive N sent the GMC Marshall was driving into the back of another truck. He isn’t the only one in the city who’s had to shuffle their schedule, and endure the headache that comes with an unexpected vehicle collision.

“We’ve had quite a few people come in, the roads were pretty slick this morning,” said Catherine Pooley, manager at the Collision Reporting Centre. It’s her job to document each and every minor collision that pulls in to their building.

“As of today and what is already approved by the traffic sergeant and in our system, we have 487 collisions that have happened from November 17th, in the city of Lethbridge.”

Based on all the reports filed so far this year, the Collision Reporting Centre has been able to pinpoint the three top intersections for minor collisions. The first is 3 Ave S and Scenic Drive S. The next is also downtown at the intersection of 13 St S and 6 Ave S. The third is the intersection of 32 Ave S and 32 St S.

If you find yourself in the aftermath of a minor collision where both parties are uninjured, there are some simple but important steps to take.

“They can bring their vehicle in, we’ll need their insurance, registry, and driver’s license and we can do a report for them that way,” said Pooley. “If the vehicle is not drivable we can arrange for a tow to be sent out so they can be brought here.”

Once at the Collision Reporting Centre, photos are taken to document the damage, a report is filed and the car is taken to whatever body shop the owner prefers for repairs; a process most would like to avoid, if they can.

When asked how the collision affected Marshall’s day, he responded bluntly.