Submitted by Cedric Hughes on Wed, 11/30/2005 - 08:51
A recent statistics report in the Vancouver Sun, (Crashes with pedestrians are deadly), cites Burnaby Traffic Services as the source of the information that pedestrian-involved collisions are now the leading cause of injury and death arising from motor vehicle accidents in Burnaby. These statistics noted particularly the dramatic rise in 2004 in the pedestrian hospitalization rate from 38% to 50%. This appears to suggest that of all the people admitted to hospital for treatment of injuries caused by involvement in a motor vehicle accident, 50% were pedestrians.
This local statistic seems to run counter to the national statistics. Transport Canada’s 2005 report on pedestrian fatalities resulting from collisions with motor vehicles over the 10-year period (1992-2001) noted a 24 percent drop along with a 20.7 percent drop in total road user fatalities over the same period, despite the rise in Canada's population from 28.4 million in 1992 to 31.1 million in 2001.
This Transport Canada report reviewed the number of pedestrian fatalities and injuries by age groups and gender, time of day and month and location. The report shows the fatality and injury rates per 100,000 population, the distribution by type of vehicle, pedestrian action and the number and percentage of fatally injured pedestrians who had been drinking alcohol.
Despite the good (downward) national trend, the average of one pedestrian killed every day on Canadian roads poses a continuing challenge. These findings, which are remarkably similar to US and Australian comparable studies, show that:
- Seniors remain the most at risk — pedestrians aged 65 and over suffered a disproportionate number of deaths and injuries.
- Almost 70% percent of the fatalities and about 95% of the injuries happened in urban areas.
- In 77% of the fatalities and 49% of the injuries, no traffic control was present. This means that the victim may have been crossing between intersections, walking along the side of the road either against or with the traffic, or running into or playing on the street.
- In 80% of the fatalities and 57% of the injuries, the vehicle was traveling straight ahead. Intersections were the most common location.
- The greatest number of fatalities occurred between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., while injuries peaked between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- The worst months for fatalities were August to December. Injuries were most frequent in September to January.
- Of the pedestrian fatalities tested for alcohol use, over 40 percent had been drinking. Most had BACs over the legal driving limit. Alcohol was present in almost 30 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in 2001.
Tips for pedestrians? Well, it’s hard to improve on the traditional advice “stop, look and listen before you cross the street”. At an intersection, watch out for “high speed turners”. Look behind you, and to the center of the intersection, to check for motorists intent on making a right turn or left turn across your path. Never trust the intentions of motorists. Assume the worst. That way you won’t be disappointed.
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