I’m Felix Townsin. As a Parachute Youth Road Safety Ambassador, I identified a recurring safety issue at the intersection of Burnside Road West and Tillicum Road in Saanich, B.C.
The conflict involved vehicles turning right on a red light and opposing vehicles turning left. Although left-turning drivers are required to enter the nearest lane, many crossed directly into the right lane to access the nearby shopping centre. This created confusion, frustration and repeated near misses as vehicles attempted to enter the same lane.
I contacted Saanich Engineering to explain the problem and proposed two practical solutions: repainting the guiding lane markings or introducing a “No Right Turn on Red” restriction. The initial response noted that drivers are expected to understand the rules of the road and remain in the correct lane. However, my observations showed that this was not consistently happening and that the resulting conflict was placing road users at risk.
The review also indicated that guiding lane markings were already in place. I returned to the intersection, recorded video demonstrating that no guiding markings were present and submitted the evidence to Saanich Engineering.
Following a reassessment, Saanich Engineering directed Public Works to repaint the lane markings as an interim safety improvement. They also confirmed that more comprehensive, long-term changes would be considered through future planning.
This experience reinforced that effective road safety cannot rely solely on drivers behaving exactly as expected. Good design must anticipate predictable human error and reduce the likelihood that a common mistake will lead to a collision. By combining direct observation, evidence, practical solutions and respectful persistence, I was able to help turn a recurring safety concern into concrete action.