ICBC launched their annual pedestrian safety campaign along Oak Bay Avenue last Tuesday.
Colleen Woodger, ICBC’s Road Safety Coordinator, was on Oak Bay Ave. to raise awareness that almost two times more pedestrians are injured in crashes from November to January than the rest of the year, due to weather changes and the decrease in daylight hours.
In B.C., on average, 59 pedestrians are killed every year. Distracted driving and failing to yield the right-of-way are the top contributing factors for drivers in crashes involving pedestrians.
“It’s a shared responsibility,” says Woodger. “We need those drivers to be looking for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as we need those pedestrians to do their part to be seen, specifically at crosswalks.”
With 76 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians happening at intersections, it is important for pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the road.
For drivers, be extra alert at intersections and be ready to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
Follow the campaign at #walksafeBC