Can roundabouts help reduce crashes at rural intersections?

Twice in the past two weeks, the scenic country roads outside of London have been the scene of fatal vehicle collisions.

On May 23, four high-school students and their teacher were killed at the intersection of Thorndale and Cobble Hills roads.

On Tuesday, a person died after a SUV and delivery truck collided about 10 km away at the intersection of Road 84 and 31st Line in Zorra Township.

Both collisions are under investigation by the OPP, but the crashes have sparked discussion about whether intersections in rural areas can be made safer.

In Oxford County, a number of serious crashes at the intersection of Oxford roads 2 and 6, also known as Dundas Street and 31st Line, prompted the county to install a roundabout in 2011.

Frank Gross, Oxford County's senior manager of transportation, said the roundabout has helped prevent the intersection from being the scene of the kind of violent T-bone collisions that often result in serious injury or loss of life.

"We didn't see a reduction in the number of incidents but we did see a reduction in the severity," he said.

According to a Oxford County's 2024 transportation plan, there were 25 collisions at the roundabout between 2018 and 2022. There were five injuries, but there were no deaths.

Jeff Casello is a professor of engineering, transportation and planning at the University of Waterloo, a region that has embraced roundabouts in its road system. Roundabouts can be a good solution where intersections meet at odd angles, he said.

"There are some in our region that are working very well and there are some that are problematic in terms of safety and the overall function," he said.

Casello said roundabouts work best at intersections where speeds and traffic are moderate, and n rural intersections can be a good option to prevent serious crashes.

"When you have high speeds and high traffic volumes, then the roundabouts become problematic, especially for pedestrians," he said.

"They can be really effective," he said. "Because as you approach that roundabout, you are given a visual cue that you need to slow down. It's not a direct through path. The roundabout itself acts as a speed suppressor."

There are some challenges with roundabouts, he said. They need to be properly lit, and need a larger footprint than a standard intersection.

CBC News spoke to drivers in Embro, in Zorra Township, where the recent crashes are raising concerns.

Don Noble believes more roundabouts might help prevent severe crashes on the rural roads he drives, but said driver behaviour remains the most crucial factor to avoid collisions.

He believes speeding and distracted driving are behind most collisions on country roads, he said.

"No matter how fast you go, people want to go faster," he said. "It's just terrible."

Cathy Siddall, who works in Embro, isn't opposed to more roundabouts at rural intersections.

"I'm for it, they work," she said. "Something needs to be done."