Police continue to investigate after a driver was killed in a two-vehicle crash near Strathmore on Tuesday at an intersection that some area residents say is dangerous and deadly.
RCMP officers were called to a serious crash at the intersection of Highway 840 and Highway 564 at about 6:00 p.m. on January 2.
Officials say a car was westbound on Highway 564 when it failed to stop and then hit the trailer of a northbound truck.
The male driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the truck was not injured. A female passenger in the car was taken to hospital in serious condition.
The highway was closed to motorists for several hours while police worked to piece together what happened.
Traci Rasmussen was injured in the same intersection after a truck ran a stop sign and crashed into her vehicle.
“I remember seeing him hit me and going round and round a couple of times and then over and over, winding up at the bottom of a ditch,” she said.
She says she was lucky to walk away with a minor neck injury and bruises and says she has seen many drivers blow through the stop sign at full speed.
“Every time I go through that intersection I mostly see that truck coming at me and I’m a lot more cautious,” said Rasmussen. “Four-way stops would be a good step but if people aren’t going to stop at the stop signs it’s not going to do any good.”
Flashing lights were added to the intersection about four months ago and RCMP say the intersection is well marked.
“I’ve been in conversations with Alberta Transportation. Again, with the rumble strips, with the red, flashing lights, with the large stop signs, there’s lots there to indicate to people that they are approaching a stop sign,” said RCMP S/Sgt. Kevin O’Dwyer
The names of the victims will not be released and the crash is still under investigation.
Last summer, two people died at the same intersection, prompting calls to make changes to prevent fatalities.
