(Photo credit: datarec/SXC)
As more Canadians shift their mode of transportation toward transit, cycling or walking to save money or for ease, this also means that there are more pedestrians out and about.
Unfortunately, this year Toronto saw 38 deaths by early December, which is already higher than the 21 pedestrian-vehicle fatalities in 2012, according to the Toronto Star. This is the highest number of pedestrian-vehicle fatalities in ten years. It’s elderly pedestrians who are suffering with 22 seniors killed, which is more than triple the number of senior fatalities last year. (There were seven senior pedestrian fatalities last year.)
This may be the case because senior citizens are more likely to be fatally hurt by a motor vehicle, Susan Eng, the president of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons told the Toronto Star, and there are more retired elders moving downtown.
November tends to be the most dangerous month for pedestrian accidents, which is why the Toronto Police launches its annual safety campaign then. The last week of November is considered to be the most dangerous week of the month for pedestrians with November 30 being the worst day with an average of 11.5 pedestrian fatalities in Toronto, followed by November 29 and 28, according to Global News.
There’s still one more month left in the year and the change from daylight savings time also has an effect on the number of fatalities. It becomes more dangerous for pedestrians to travel between 5 to 7 p.m. since drivers are still adjusting to the lower light visibility. And while countdown crosswalks are thought to help prevent accidents, recent research shows that this might not be the case.
On December 4, a 77-year-old died after being struck by a vehicle at Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue. She was crossing the street when she was hit by a northbound car. She succumbed to her injuries after being taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, this was soon after a 42-year-old woman was struck and killed by a van around the same area on November 24.
A four-year-old kindergartener in Mississauga unfortunately succumbed to injuries after he was hit by a car while walking to school on the morning of November 20. He was crossing the street at a designated school zone, where the driver allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign.
For pedestrians, it’ s important to stay alert at all times while crossing intersections. Make sure you look both ways before crossing the road and that the driver sees and stops for you as you cross. When crossing the street, make sure your music isn’t playing too loudly that you can’t hear your surroundings and make sure you’re not texting or using your cell phone while walking. Also, if you’re travelling during the evening, cross the street in well lit areas or wear brighter coloured clothing so there’s a better chance that drivers will see you.
For drivers, ensure that you’ve given yourself enough time to travel from one destination to the next so you’re not travelling in a rush. Pay attention to your surroundings and it’s especially important to watch out for pedestrians who might run out onto the road. Distracted driving is becoming a more frequent reason for accidents compared to intoxicated driving and it’s important that you don’t text while behind the wheel.
Accident benefits are available to anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been dealing with all accident related issues throughout Ontario for over 45 years. We know how to get you the compensation that you deserve and get your life back in order after being in a car accident. Call us at 416-920-4242, set up a free consultation, and come speak with us.
Greg Neinstein
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