Top Car Accident Hot Spots in Barrie, Ontario
Navigating Barrie’s roads can be challenging, especially in areas prone to frequent accidents. Whether you’re commuting to or from work, running errands, or just passing through, it’s important to know which intersections pose the most risk. In this blog post, we’ll highlight some of Barrie’s most accident-prone areas and provide tips on staying safe while driving in the city.
1. Mapleview Drive East and Park Place Boulevard
This intersection is adjacent to Park Place, a prominent open-air shopping centre featuring various retail outlets and dining establishments. The high volume of vehicles entering and exiting the shopping area increases traffic density, especially during peak shopping hours and on weekends. Costco is right across the street, adding to the volume of traffic in this area. Drivers in this area should be particularly prudent when exiting parking lots and when making left turns.
2. Cedar Pointe Drive and Dunlop Street West
Situated near commercial zones and an interchange with Highway 400, this area experiences significant traffic flow to and from businesses in the vicinity. The convergence of vehicles from Cedar Pointe Drive and Highway 400 onto Dunlop Street West can lead to congestion, particularly during business hours.
Drivers here should be mindful of vehicles making sudden turns into business entrances and exits, as well as pedestrians crossing in areas lacking designated crosswalks. Drivers entering from Highway 400 must remember to yield to traffic on Dunlop Street West before proceeding.
3. Cundles Road East and St. Vincent Street
This intersection is located in a mixed residential and commercial area, with nearby schools, parks, dining establishments, and a gas station. The presence of school zones further along on Cundles Road East, both westbound and eastbound, leads to increased pedestrian activity during all hours.
South of the intersection, a bridge spanning the width of Highway 400 presents a challenge with visibility. The hill to the north of the intersection creates a similar visibility issue. West and south of the intersection, the width of the road is reduced from two lanes to only one. This especially creates challenges for westbound traffic looking to turn left onto Ferris Lane.
Drivers in this area should be extremely vigilant for children and parents crossing streets and adhere to reduced speed limits in school zones. This is especially when snow buildup during wintertime contributes to reduced visibility and increased stopping distance. The combination of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in this area requires very attentive driving to prevent accidents.
4. Dunlop Street West and Ferndale Drive North
This area contains a mix of residential neighbourhoods and local businesses. The proximity of businesses and gas stations may lead to vehicles slowing down unexpectedly to make turns into parking lots, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions.
5. Bayfield Street and Cundles Road West
This area is a major commercial hub in Barrie. This busy intersection has the Kozlov Shopping Centre in its northwest corner, restaurants and service businesses in its southwest and southeast corners, and gas stations in its southwest and northeast corners. This high density attracts substantial pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Conclusion
It’s undeniable that Barrie is a busy place, and it’s getting busier every day. In all of the areas mentioned above, it’s crucial for drivers to stay attentive, obey traffic signals, and be prepared for sudden stops or turns by other vehicles.
During wintertime, it’s especially important to allow extra distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to avoid rear-end collisions. Finally, and arguably most importantly, reduce your speed when approaching busy areas. Giving yourself even an extra second to react to a suddenly dangerous situation may mean the difference between getting into an accident and driving home safely.
At Oatley Vigmond, we know Barrie because it’s our home base. If you’ve been injured in an accident in Barrie, reach out to one of Oatley Vigmond’s experienced lawyers for a free consultation.
