The B.C. Coroners Service renewed its call urging pedestrians to take extra precautions when out on the streets following the deaths of five pedestrians in 11 days, including one incident in New Westminster.
The coroners service is reminding pedestrians to make sure they're visible to drivers, either by wearing light-coloured or fluorescent clothing, or by attaching reflective strips to their clothes – especially during the dark winter months.
In New Westminster, a woman died in hospital on Nov. 29 after she was hit by a vehicle while crossing Sixth Street at Fifth Avenue around 12:10 p.m. The 84-year-old Burnaby resident and a second woman were walking in a marked crosswalk at Fifth Avenue when an oncoming vehicle turning left onto Sixth Street hit them. While the other woman escaped without serious injuries, the now deceased woman was taken to hospital in serious condition.
Family and friends have since set up a memorial on the corner where she was killed.
The incident is under investigation by the department's traffic and patrol sections, and the driver of the vehicle remained on scene and is cooperating with police, according to a media release from New West police.
According to a recent review by the B.C. Coroners Service, there continues to be a high risk of injury or death to pedestrians on roads despite the decline in risk for drivers and passengers.
The review analyzed 142 pedestrian fatalities between 2010 and 2012, and the coroners service found that in almost half of the collisions, the pedestrians had the right of way or were waiting on a sidewalk or median.
The review also found that in about 70 per cent of the cases where the pedestrians had the right of way, the drivers who struck them were making a left turn – just as the driver was in the case of the New West woman's death.
According to the coroners service, the top three contributing factors in the cases analyzed were pedestrians wearing dark clothing, the driver was distracted or light conditions were poor.
Safety tips for pedestrians and drivers:
Pedestrians:
* Enhance your visibility, especially after dark. Wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing, or attach a light or a reflective strip to your clothing.
* Stay alert. Watch out for drivers turning into an intersection from left and right. Try to make eye contact with all nearby drivers before stepping out onto the street.
* Don't assume a crosswalk or a green light at an intersection makes you safe. Ensure drivers see you before you step out from the curb.
* Especially if you know you may be slower in crossing a road, give yourself the most time to cross by waiting for a newly turned green or walk signal.
* Look left, right and left again before crossing the street, and be on the lookout for turning or backing vehicles.
* Keep scanning for vehicles as you cross.
* Hold your hand up or do whatever it takes to make yourself more visible to drivers.
Motorists:
* Stay alert. Don't be distracted by activities that take your mind off driving or your eyes off the road. Watch carefully for pedestrians when approaching any crosswalk or intersection.
* Ensure all pedestrians have cleared the road before proceeding.
* Take special care to watch for pedestrians or other vulnerable road users when making a left-hand turn.
* Watch especially carefully for the elderly or mobility-challenged. Recognize it may take them longer than average to complete a safe crossing.
– Source: B.C. Coroners Service
