The number of pedestrian deaths has increased 15% in 5 years. Every 4 hours, a pedestrian in Toronto is hit, and there is a pedestrian death every 10 days. 163 pedestrians were killed in 2011 alone – that is more than the number of people that can fit in a streetcar. This toll of pedestrian death surpasses the number of fatal shootings in Toronto.
Children are the most at-risk demographic when it comes to pedestrian injury and death. They have not developed the necessary cognitive and physical skills that comes with crossing the road – judgment, anticipation of what the driver intends to do, seeing eye to eye with the driver, being seen at all, etc. Children 10-14 years of age have the highest risk of pedestrian injury, and children 5-14 are at greatest risk for pedestrian death. Boys are at higher risk of pedestrian injury and death than girls, but the statistics for girls are increasing too. Their injuries are most likely to be sustained between the months of September and October (school commences and Halloween) and May and June (the weather is warmer again and kids are spending more time outside; school ends).
Children are most likely to be hit in areas with heavy traffic and parked cars. This is because cars in heavy traffic and parked areas cannot see small people around them – they only see all the cars surrounding them. If a child bolts out between parked cars, cars do not expect them to be there and they cannot react fast enough to stop or avoid the child.
New research finds that 10 and 11 year olds are more likely to get hit crossing the road while talking on a cell phone! The distraction of talking on a cell phone and the impact it has of crossing the road makes researchers question what the impact of other devices would be, like music devices and texting.
As drivers, we need to drive slower. This is harder for people who live in rural areas as they don’t think there is anyone around. But when someone is struck, the injuries are worse because the speeds are higher and the pedestrian is not paying attention to the cars around them. Tress impact speeds as well – drivers tend to slow down on tree-lined streets, making those areas safer to walk in for pedestrians. Also, travel in pairs when walking. It is a lot easier for drivers to see a group of people rather than one individual person.
“If you compare it to how much attention is paid each year to the number of people who are killed by homicide, or a number of other things, it has received less attention than it should, especially given the magnitude of the number,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said.