Here’s How Many Pedestrians Were Killed in Brampton This Year
Published October 24, 2018 at 8:06 pm
Collisions involving pedestrians are serious and, in some tragic cases, fatal.
Collisions involving pedestrians are serious and, in some tragic cases, fatal.
For that reason, police are advising residents in Brampton and Mississauga to do their part to prevent collisions by taking steps to be aware–and be visible–while walking the Region of Peel’s streets.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility between pedestrians and drivers alike. As a pedestrian you are more vulnerable to injury,” Peel police said in a recent news release.
“Paying attention to your surroundings is the key to being safe.”
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While some say the onus should be almost entirely on drivers to prevent run-ins with pedestrians (people are soft and squishy, vehicles are not), police say there are a lot of steps pedestrians can take to avoid being struck by vehicles.
Police also say that some pedestrians are not blameless when it comes to collisions.
“Peel Regional Police Major Collision Bureau is responsible for the investigation of fatalities. As part of their investigative process they analyze all contributing factors in each collision. They have found that pedestrian actions are a contributing factor in a significant percentage of collisions,” police says.
What are pedestrians doing that’s putting them risk?
Being inattentive and making assumptions have often resulted in conflict between the pedestrian and the vehicle, police say.
In these collisions, the pedestrians rarely fare well.
“Collisions involving pedestrians are a large concern that will only become more significant as the municipalities continue to grow and more citizens use public transit and or walk more often as a form of commuting,” police say.
But while pedestrian collisions are deeply concerning, statistics show that there have been less crashes–and less fatalities–in 2018 than in previous years.
That year, 496 pedestrians were injured, 268 suffered serious injuries and 13 died as a result of their injuries.
In 2018, 342 collisions have been reported, with 115 people sustaining serious injuries.
Six people have died as a result of the crashes.
But while the numbers seem to be dropping (and quite substantially, as the year will be over in a little over two months), police say pedestrians should still keep the following safety tips in mind:
- Cross at a marked crosswalk when signalled to do so.
- Look both ways before crossing and make eye contact with drivers.
- Be aware of engine noise and reverse lights on vehicles.
- Wear reflective clothing when walking at night.
- Keep your head up and headphones off when crossing the road.
“Pedestrians need to see and be seen. It is more important to identify a hazard and take precautions. Walk with your head up, be alert and don’t be dead right.” says Staff Sergeant Gary Carty from the Major Collision Bureau.
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