This is just one sobering fact from a report issued this morning by the Greater Sudbury Police Service.
Up to the end of September, there were 34 pedestrians struck by vehicles, one of which saw the tragic death of a 58-year-old woman who was struck and killed on Elgin Street on Sept. 30. Some four more have been struck in October.
Most of those collisions (eight) happened in August and mostly (10 incidents) on a Tuesday. The most common time to be struck? Three in the afternoon.
The most common place to be struck is the busy intersection of Brady and Minto downtown.
When it comes to what led up to these collisions, police have determined fault in 20 of the incidents. In 12 of the incident, the driver failed to yield the right of way to the pedestrian, resulting in the collision. In eight of those crashes, pedestrian inattention was to blame, police said.
Enforcement can help, but will not eliminate these types of incident, GSPS said. There’s a joint responsibility between drivers, pedestrians and the police to reduce these crashes, police added.
“It is important for everyone to recognize that the solution to reducing pedestrian collisions cannot be accomplished through police enforcement alone; the public must play a role in making road safety a priority,” police said. “Both pedestrians and drivers must make safe/smart decisions when sharing our roadways. Every pedestrian collision can be avoided if the public (pedestrians and drivers) make safety a top priority.”
The police will be starting a social media campaign pushing the shared responsibility for road safety message.
Some of the tips being promoted include:
Pedestrians
- Where a crosswalk exists, pedestrians must utilize them to cross a roadway, even if it’s not in your direct route.
- Make sure driver’s see you before you cross.
- Never cross on a red light.
Drivers
- Always look for pedestrians.
- Always be prepared to stop for the unexpected; adjust your speed accordingly and follow the posted speed limits.
- When approaching intersections that are or not controlled by traffic signal lights, watch for pedestrians, approach with caution and be prepared to stop at a moment’s notice.
