OPP Speak Out Regarding Pedestrian Safety After Rash Of Incidents & Listowel Near Miss

(MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH PERTH, ON) – On Saturday January 09, 2016, shortly after 7 p.m., a father walking west bound on Main St. in Listowel with his two young children crossed Wallace Ave North within the crosswalk on a green light. The three of them were almost struck by an SUV turning onto Wallace Ave North.

The driver of the white Escalade slammed on the brakes and stopped within a few feet of the father and his children.

This near miss is one of many such incidents reported to the Perth County OPP. It is known that many near misses are never reported to police since no one sustains injuries.

On December 01, 2015, The Perth County OPP charged a driver with “fail to yield to pedestrians”, for hitting two pedestrians in Shakespeare for a similar type collision. (The pedestrians crossed on a green light within the intersection). The pedestrians were transported to hospital with minor injuries.

On January 20, 2015, a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Wallace Ave. North and Inkerman St. West was not so fortunate when she was struck by a pickup truck turning left onto Inkerman St. West. The female pedestrian hit the pavement and succumbed to her injuries sustained in the collision on January 23, 2015. The driver of the pickup truck was charged with “fail to yield to pedestrian”.

Within the past few years a number of collisions have been investigated by the Perth County OPP in Listowel involving pedestrians crossing at intersections on green lights and being struck by motor vehicles. Fortunately most of these collisions did not result in life threatening injuries to the pedestrians.

The Perth County OPP urge all motorists and pedestrians to keep safety in mind at all times.

A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a place designated for pedestrians to cross a road. A crosswalk is marked by two parallel white lines painted across the road. However, crosswalks at intersections are not always marked.

A pedestrian crossover is marked by two white double parallel lines across the road with an X in each lane approaching it, and overhead yellow lights.

Vehicles (including bicycles) must stop before the line and yield to pedestrians, and remain stopped until all pedestrians have completely cleared the entire road and it is safe to proceed.

Pedestrians

Cross at pedestrian crosswalks or crossovers. Don’t cross in the middle of a block or between parked cars
Make sure drivers see you and are going to stop, before you step out onto the road
Cross only when traffic has come to a full stop
Watch for vehicles turning at intersections
Watch for vehicles entering or leaving driveways
Wear bright colours, especially during low light conditions

Motorists

Be patient, stay alert, and slow down
Be extra careful when driving in a school zone
Always watch for pedestrians, especially when turning
Yield right-of-way. When a pedestrian is at a crossing, you must stop and let the pedestrian cross
Do not proceed until the crosswalk is clear of pedestrians

Where a school crossing guard displays a school crossing stop sign, the driver of any vehicle approaching the school crossing guard shall stop before reaching the crossing and shall remain stopped until all persons, including the school crossing guard, have cleared the roadway and it is safe to proceed.

The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) section 144 (7) states “…the driver shall yield the right of way to pedestrians lawfully within a crosswalk.” Motorists failing to do so may receive a fine of $180.00 and three demerit points. A higher fine applies if the offence occurs in a designated Community Safety Zone.

Parents and caregivers are asked to discuss safe crossing with children in their care.

For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation website at: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca

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