Two motor vehicle collisions on Sept. 11 have prompted the St. Albert RCMP to remind the public about road safety.
The first collision took place at about 6:30 a.m. when a pedestrian was crossing Levasseur Road at a marked crossing with lights, and was struck by a vehicle making a left-hand turn.
The second collision also occurred in the morning hours at 7:30 a.m. where a pedestrian crossed the street in a marked crosswalk on Cunningham Road at the intersection of Stanley Drive.
In the two collisions, drivers remained at the scene. Both pedestrians were driven to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries and later released. In both collisions, the driver did not see the pedestrians. The first collision was due to darkness and the second was caused by glare from the rising sun.
The RCMP hopes to avert more collisions by reminding the public that as autumn draws closer, days are getting shorter. More hours of darkness limit visibility for both drivers and pedestrians.
“Drivers and pedestrians need to be vigilant at all times and they need to work together at all times,” said Const. M-J Burroughs, crime prevention/victim services.
In promoting road safety, drivers need to be alert at all times for pedestrians crossing especially in residential areas, school zones and play areas.
Drivers also need to keep an eye out for vehicles stopping or slowing in the next lane. They could be yielding to a pedestrian.
Burroughs stated that both drivers and pedestrians are responsible for safety measures. Pedestrians have a right of way in crosswalks, but also a responsibility to cross safely.
For starters, pedestrians need to make themselves visible to drivers at all times by wearing reflective or brightly coloured clothing.
When arriving at an intersection, pause and check for vehicles before walking across the street.
“Pedestrians should make eye contact with the driver so they know where (the driver) is going,” Burroughs said.
When crossing a street, pedestrians are encouraged to remove headphones and put electronic devices away to focus on traffic.
In both collisions, the driver was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk under the Use of Highways and Rules of the Road Regulations. In Alberta, the consequence for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk is up to $776 and four demerit points.
Anyone with information is asked to contact St. Albert RCMP detachment at 780-458-7700. For anyone wishing to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
