This reminder includes the penalty for running a light—$167—and, lest the listener/reader be tempted to ignore it as somehow inapplicable, a recitation of the should-be-shocking-but-aren’t-really statistics in BC: a daily average of 250 crashes at or near intersections comprising 50% of all crashes; of the 35 fatalities on Vancouver streets in the last two years, 70% occurring at or near intersections.

 

To try to highlight the extent of the problem, Nicolas Jimenez, ICBC’s Road Safety Director gives the example: “In the last five years, more people have been involved in an intersection crash than every man, woman and child living in the city of Vancouver.”

 

Within this broad category, a further bit of statistical digging finds some new and perhaps not surprising (changing demographics?) trends. The latest Quick Look at Intersection Crashes in Canada from Transport Canada’s Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate states that fewer children under 16 are being killed or seriously injured in intersection crashes and that intersection-related fatalitiesamong drivers aged 16 to 19 have decreased by almost 20% between the latest comparison periods 1996-2001 and 2002-2004.

 

The Quick Look indicates that of all intersection fatalities, “40% involve a driver failing to yield the right of way or disobeying a traffic sign or signal. [Failing-to-yield-the-right-of-way crashes generally involve turning vehicles; crashes resulting from disobeying a traffic sign or signal usually involve running stop signs or signal lights.] The report goes on to say that “older drivers (aged 65 years or older) are much more likely to commit an infraction leading up to an intersection crash than most other drivers.” It also notes that “more middle-aged motorcyclists are being killed or seriously hurt in intersection crashes” and that “more pedestrians, especially seniors, are being killed in intersection crashes.

 

According to the eminent traffic safety expert, Leonard Evans, the statistics “consistently show that young male drivers have the highest fatality and crash rates, and pose the greatest threats to other road users.” If the above-mentioned Quick Look statistics are indicative of a new trend, —not surprising given that more seniors are driving and driving later in life than ever before— the solutions for making intersections safer for seniors will likely come through design and training innovations that should also benefit all users. Quick Look suggests (we paraphrase) the following:

 

·         Design intersections with senior drivers and pedestrians in mind.

·         Install longer pedestrian walk signals.

·         Reduce visual clutter at intersections. Eliminate unnecessary signage

·         Simplify intersection layouts.

·         Add more left-turn lanes and signal-controlled left-turn intervals.

 

Senior driver training and licensing have been ongoing issues for some time, and will increasingly be a topic of discussion.