No Safe Haven for BC’s Pedestrians

The plight of pedestrians on our province’s streets is one that goes unnoticed all too often.

That’s why I got a familiar sense of grim inevitability last week when I read about the tragic death of a pedestrian in Kamloops.

The accident took place in November 2012, when a 66-year-old woman was heartbreakingly ripped from her family after a driver ran into her while she was crossing the street.

The victim was walking on a green light, in a marked crosswalk at the time.

And the driver?

He didn’t even have a licence.

In fact the guy had been busted behind the wheel five times over the past three years.

Who does this guy think he is?

Driver’s Licences aren’t optional. They’re there for protection. Both yours and everyone else’s.

It’s a senseless accident.

One that highlights just how downright negligent some of BC’s motorists are when it comes to pedestrian safety.

Sadly it’s not an isolated case.

In 2007 (the last year for which statistics are available), approximately 27,000 British Columbians were injured in pedestrian accidents.

To put it bluntly, crossing the street in BC is a dangerous business.

The problem is that drivers simply aren’t taking responsibility for their actions.

If pedestrians aren’t safe inside marked crosswalks then where are they?

And if you can’t rely on drivers to follow the most basic rules of the road, how can you trust them to drive safely when they step behind the wheel of their vehicle.

The sad reality is that it's impossible to completely prevent being hit by a car. So if drivers aren’t going to step up  then it’s up to us pedestrians to take extra care out on the streets.

That’s why I’ve put together a FREE pedestrian safety manual to help you and your loved ones stay safe.

Read it. Invest a few minutes of your time.  What you learn could save you a lifetime of heartache.

Jeff Witten