Victoria police are beginning to crack down on errant pedestrians.
On Wednesday they were stationed at the intersection of Blanshard and Yates streets, handing out safety warning notices to pedestrians crossing against the don’t walk signals in crosswalks, as part of a public education period. Real violation tickets start at $109 for such offences as “disobey pedestrian control signal” and “must not enter roadway unless safe.”
“A lot of people think they can enter the crosswalk on a red hand signal, as long as there’s a countdown. That’s wrong,” said VicPD Sgt. Shannon Perkins in a short Twitter video. “You can only enter the crosswalk on a white cross signal. Everyone is responsible for road safety – pedestrians this is your part.”
No word was available from police as to exactly when they might begin fining people for crosswalk violations.
According to ICBC statistics, there were 430 motor vehicle incidents involving pedestrians on Vancouver Island in 2016, with 370 pedestrians injured. Both numbers had risen steadily over the previous four years. ICBC also states that 76 per cent of all such crashes occur in intersections, and 43 per cent happen between the months of October and January.
