Canberra might be a city of roundabouts but that doesn't mean Canberrans know how to navigate them.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The roundabout where Barton Highway-William Slim Drive and Gundaroo Drive converge has emerged as the worst intersection for crashes in the ACT, according to a list by ACT Policing.
One of the ACT's busiest roundabouts, the intersection is already undergoing a $10 million upgrade but Canberra driving instructor Babar Chohan said the problem was drivers coming into the roundabout too fast.
"I would say the speed coming up to it is probably one of the biggest factors," the National Driving Academy instructor said.
"At the moment it's got roadworks there so a lot of people are quite apprehensive, which is a good thing, but normally when there's no roadworks the entry speed on either side is 80 kilometres per hour."
Where Canberra's worst intersections for crashes are
Six in 10 of the worst intersections for prangs are roundabouts according to police, and Mr Chohan said a combination of high speeds, slow reactions and a failure to drive defensively were usually to blame.
"When you're looking at most of the accidents that have happened [on the Barton roundabout], they usually involve heavy vehicles like double-B trucks where they have to change lanes or use both lanes ," Mr Chohan said.
"People just don't pay attention to it so they end up trying to overtake them or they've got no room to go through and they start spearing off into the signs or into the gutters or in some cases into other vehicles. I've seen a few instances where double-Bs have been on their sides at that intersection and it's closed the whole road off."
Two of Canberra's worst intersections for crashes were also found to be on Parkes Way, with the roundabouts at Anzac Parade and Coranderrk Street collecting second and third place.
Hindmarsh Drive and Isabella Drive in Canberra's south also merited dishonourable mentions, with two black spots each. There were also two crash hotspots on Canberra Avenue.
From June 2015 to June 2016, 578 crashes resulted in injuries on Canberra roads, ACT Policing data revealed.
Civic recorded the highest number of collisions that required someone to be treated by paramedics (26) , followed by Gungahlin (23), Belconnen (19) and Fyshwick (19).
An ACT Policing spokesman said it was important drivers understood the road rules at intersections and roundabouts.
"Time and time again we see collisions caused by the failure of drivers to obey traffic controls. Ignoring stop or give-way signs, or accelerating through a yellow [amber] light can have disastrous consequences," he said.
"When there's a stop sign it is compulsory to stop even if you think you can see the way is clear. If it's a give-way sign, then you must be prepared to stop if there's other traffic coming.
"You must always use your indicator to let other road users know what you are doing including when turning, overtaking or changing lanes. Even if you don't think you see another vehicle, there might be a bike or pedestrian that you haven't seen.
"The rules for a roundabout are that you must always give way to the right and you must use the appropriate lane."
Mr Chohan said Canberra drivers should look left as well as right when entering a roundabout, and give way to any vehicle already on the roundabout or entering from the right.
"Everyone's got to step up to the table and be responsible for road safety and use defensive skills," Mr Chohan said.
Canberra's worst intersections for crashes
1. The Barton Highway, William Slim Drive, Gundaroo Drive
2. Anzac Parade, Parkes Way
3. Coranderrk Street, Parkes Way
4. Canberra Avenue, Sturt Avenue, Wentworth Avenue
5. Hindmarsh Drive, Tuggeranong Parkway eastbound
6. Athllon Drive, Drakeford Drive and Isabella Drive
7. Barry Drive, Cooyong Street, Northbourne Avenue
8. Canberra Avenue, Hindmarsh Drive, Newcastle Street
9. Hindmarsh Drive, Yamba Drive
10. Ashley Drive, Isabella Drive