Introduction
Only in Ontario, but also in other nations, pedestrian deaths have grown to be a significant issue in the transportation industry. As a result, some American governments have passed legislation to address the issue. The prevalence of pedestrian fatalities, their causes, data, and Ontario's laws preventing them are all examined in this essay.
Pedestrian Fatalities in Ontario
In Ontario today, pedestrian fatalities are just as common as accidents involving vehicles. One pedestrian is struck in Toronto every four hours, according to research, and more than 163 pedestrians have perished since 2011.(Biro, 2017). According to Rothman et al. (2014), there were over 15% more pedestrian fatalities in 2016 than there were in 2015. This was a significant increase compared to 8% in the previous years. The statistics show that although driving related deaths are still higher than pedestrian deaths, the prevalence of pedestrian deaths in Ontario is alarming.
Causes of Pedestrian Deaths
Pedestrian deaths in Ontario result from various causes. A research conducted by Claim Accident Service (2015) (http://claimaccident.ca/news/fatal-car-accidents-in-ontario-10-years-statistics-released-by-opp/) indicates that the major cause of pedestrian deaths in Ontario include careless driving in the pedestrian crossover such as failure to observe traffic lights and signs. Other causes include lack of driver's awareness of pedestrians as they approach areas with high pedestrian traffic. These areas include crosswalks, those marked pedestrian crossovers, school zones, and intersections (Traffic Lesson 10). Pedestrians' lack of understanding of driver behavior has also contributed to increasing pedestrian deaths in the country.
Pedestrian Fatalities in Ontario
Ontario experienced many fatal accidents between 2005 and 2014. According to Claim Accident Service (2015), there were over 3504 deaths between 2005 and 2014 in Ontario (http://claimaccident.ca/news/fatal-car-accidents-in-ontario-10-years-statistics-released-by-opp/). The data indicates that 23% of the victims were pedestrians. This translates to more than 805 pedestrian deaths. According to Mwakalonge, Siuhi, and White (2015) and Claim Accident Service (2015), 69% of the pedestrian deaths resulted from reckless driving at crosswalks.
Ontario's Laws and Regulations
The Highway Traffic Act chapter 33 section 124 provides that "where a vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to walk or run" no driver shall be allowed to move (Accident Service, 2015). This implies that it is an offense to drive while the pedestrians are passing through the crosswalk. The section further postulates that any vehicle approaching the crosswalk hall yields the way to allow pedestrians to pass either walking or running. Therefore, the law cautions pedestrians to pass the road at the right place and the drivers to use traffic signs appropriately (Accident Service, 2015). Drivers and pedestrians' adherence to these traffic regulations will reduce fatal accidents significantly. The section defines crosswalk as a place designated for pedestrians to cross the road. The yield sign is traffic light directing the drivers to slow down when approaching an intersection.
Collection of Information at Accident Scenes
A police officer at an accident scene should collect information such as the layout of the road. This provides information related to the position of the street signs, pedestrian crossing, and road width. The information will help to understand the cause of the accident and determine whether the pedestrian or the driver was responsible. For example, if the car hit the pedestrian when the traffic light was on, the driver should be charged with careless driving. The police report at the scene of the accident also includes a diagram where the car and the pedestrian were at the time of the accident. Thus, it gives the information required to develop a case.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the pedestrian accidents have been on the rise in Ontario since 2010. This is due to reckless driving, lack of awareness about road usage, and pedestrians' lack of awareness about drivers' behavior. Although the Highway Traffic Act section 124 plays a key role in minimizing the deaths, traffic officers should be more vigilance to reduce the accidents and deaths.
References
Claim Accident Service (2015). Fatal car accidents in Ontario. Retrieved July 22, 2017, from http://claimaccident.ca/news/fatal-car-accidents-in-ontario-10-years-statistics-released-by-opp/
Mwakalonge, J., Siuhi, S., & White, J. (2015). Distracted walking: Examining the extent to pedestrian safety problems. Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, 2(5), 327-337.
NabaviNiaki, M. S., Fu, T., Saunier, N., Miranda-Moreno, L. F., Amador, L., &Bruneau, J. F. (2016). Road Lighting Effects on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accident Frequency: Case Study in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, (2555), 86-94.
Rothman, L., Macarthur, C., To, T., Buliung, R., & Howard, A. (2014). Motor vehicle-pedestrian collisions and walking to school: the role of the built environment. Pediatrics, 133(5), 776-784.
Biro, V. (2017, May 25). Fatal crossings. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 22, 2017, from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/more-than-160-pedestrians-killed-by-vehicles-since-2011/article30391640/
