State Department of Transportation engineers will begin a study next week to determine whether the main intersection at Sturgis Brown High School should have a traffic signal, they said Friday.

An accident there Wednesday claimed the life of 17-year-old student Ashley Nelson.

"We have been contacted by other concerned citizens since the accident," acting Rapid City region engineer Joel Jundt said. "We won't take too long. However, just because we install a signal doesn't make the intersection safe. In fact, it can create more accidents."

Jundt and regional traffic engineer Doug Kinniburgh said the state has eight criteria for determining placement of signs and signals. One is the number of accidents. The criteria don't specify that accidents must involve a fatality.