Friends of a St. Mary's High School student seriously injured in a crash at a Kitchener roundabout on Friday while on her way to school are taking action over their concerns.

The 16-year-old student continues to recover from the injuries she suffered after being struck by a Grand River Transit bus at the roundabout at Homer Watson Boulevard and Block Line Road.

And friends say something needs to be done before something similar happens again.

Student Rachel Jacquot says "It hit me personally more, because I knew her and she could have gotten seriously injured or died and I don't want to wait for somebody else to die before they put something in that's safe."

Some of the pedestrians who use the roundabout have called it a ‘death trap' and are a calling for the construction of an overhead walkway or tunnel.

Student Emily Lobo is in favour of an alternative, she says "I think that would be a good idea so no other kids get hurt."

Hundreds of students cross at the roundabout each day, and many are worried about their safety.

Diana Cantor says "Drivers don't pay attention and neither do kids, so it's both their fault...It's dangerous, I find it very dangerous."

Jacquot is organizing a petition and a protest is planned for next Monday to draw attention to the concerns of students.

"The majority of people who said they were attending on Facebook, maybe they just agree with the idea that it's stupid. I'm no going to expect 500 people to go, but I expect, yeah there's a lot of support."

Waterloo Region maintains the roundabouts are safe, but regional staff are monitoring the one where the accident occurred and reminding students how to use the crosswalks safely.

Colleen Cooper with Region of Waterloo Public Health says "We want them to approach the curb when they are ready to cross, and make sure they communicate to the drivers that they want to cross. And the way they do that is by making eye contact with the driver and pointing their arm to indicate that 'I want to cross.'"

The region says both drivers and pedestrians need to take responsibility for roundabout safety.

Staff say last year in Waterloo Region there were 119 pedestrians involved collisions with vehicles, with 73 of those at intersections with traffic signals.

Meanwhile, since the first one opened in the region seven years ago in 2004, reports show just three pedestrians have been struck at roundabouts.