'How many lives we need to continue losing?': Son of fatal crash victim calling for intersection changes in Thamesford

An 80-year-old grandmother visiting Canada from Chile has been identified as the victim in a fatal crash near Thamesford, Ont. on Sept. 28.

Delfina Silva was visiting relatives in Kitchener and Putnam when the car she was riding in was struck around 8 p.m.

“She was a very active woman, and we called her the traveler because she was traveling every two months,” said Javier Carrasco, Silva’s son who lives in Mexico.

Silva’s body was cremated in London and has been taken to her homeland by her daughters.

“I had the opportunity to be there in the accident place without lights in the middle of the night and it is a very dangerous intersection,” said Carrasco.

Delfina Silva, an 80-year-old grandmother from Chile was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Sept. 28 while visiting relatives near Thamesford, Ont. (Source: Javier Carrasco)

The junction is where 19th line meets 17th line in Zorra Township.

This latest crash was the second fatal and third serious accident at this intersection in the past couple of months.

“I think the big thing is when you're heading north on 17th Line or Putnam Road, turning, left onto 19, it is kind of blind,” said Kevin Grainger, who lives just metres away from the intersection. “When you look to your right, vehicles can be coming around that corner very quickly.”

Grainger was able to get a flashing light installed at the stop sign for the intersection immediately south on 17th Line. He believes change needs to be made at 19/17.

“We need to either have some signage up and [hope] people pay attention to that,” said Grainger. “When you are coming from Ingersoll way, they're usually going on a fairly good clip. Unfortunately, if you get a dump truck or something pulling out onto [Hwy] 19, you don't have much time to react.”

There have been three serious crashes in the past three months at 19th Line and 17th Line near Thamesford, Ont. Neighbours say speed is a factor at the curve in the road (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

Along with the three recent crashes, statistics show seven collisions at that intersection from 2013-2023.

Two of those were intersection related, six resulted in property damage, and one was fatal in 2018 when a single vehicle left the road and struck a tree.

A 21 year old was killed, with alcohol and speed cited as contributing factors.

The Oxford County Master Transportation plan identifies Hwy. 19 to Norfolk County border for “Major Road Reconstruction/Rehabilitation” in the 2024-2033 timeframe.

It also identifies Oxford Rd. 119 and Oxford Rd. 2 (immediately north) for “Intersection Control Feasibility Studies.”

There is nothing planned for where 19th Line meets 17th Line.

There have been three serious crashes in the past three months at 19th Line and 17th Line near Thamesford, Ont. Neighbours say speed is a factor at the curve in the road (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“You need to do something there,” said Carrasco. “Maybe putting more lights, maybe painting the road better. Why not to put some road bumps in order to reduce the speed of the cars getting into the intersection?”

He describes his late mother as a “lovely woman, who was generous, humble and full of happiness.”

While he and his sisters mourn her, he hopes another family doesn’t lose a loved one in that area.

“How many lives [do] we need to continue losing?” said Carrasco. “How many pain [sic] they need to continue receiving before to move forward with some solutions?”