BC Bad Pedestrian of the Week
This one is a bit different as the pedestrian in the video is the subject misbehaving, not the driver. It does show a need to take into account clues from traffic around you as the driver behind me didn't visibly react to the pedestrian wandering into the lane again after I had slowed. As it says in the video, all drivers have a duty to avoid colliding with a pedestrian, even if the pedestrian is not behaving properly.
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Comments
pedestrians
There have been 2 pedestrians killed in the Comox Valley in the past 2 weeks. Certainly it take time to investigate and determine causes and assign responsiblity. However- rarely do the public hear of the causes and ICBC is silent on the issue of causes of pedestrians deaths which are almost double that of motorcyclists.
As a driver, I slow when observing a pedestrian near a cosswalk or side of the road -some are oblivious of traffic as are some cyclist, yet they are the most at risk.
Why are there no ICBC campaigns to educate drivers and pedestrians on the increasing fatality rate on BC roads?
Couple of comments.
Watching that video, it appears that the pedestrian is more focused on something - his cell phone, maybe - than his own safety. Distracted, is the word that comes to mind.
I've watched the embedded YouTube link and the original, but there's no audio. So no way of knowing whether the driver tapped the horn as a warning while he was slowing down to reduce the chance of collision, although apparently cognizant of the collapsing space cushion.
There's a normal human tendency to focus on the problem - such as a pedestrian or cyclist who is potentially in conflict - than the solution, which may be as simple as ensuring that they know you're coming up behind them on the same roadway by sounding your horn, while checking your mirrors and oncoming traffic in order to determine where you're going to go if they suddenly get into your path.
As for ICBC campaigns - typically short term blitzes - I think there's a disconnect between their responsibility as our licensing authority and their self-interest as our insurers.
They provide various guides - look here - to anyone and everyone, free of charge. But all are directed toward those who wish to gain some kind of license.
But don't look to ICBC if you want to walk beside, or across, the road. Never mind ride your bicycle on it! Pedestrians, and Cyclists, don't requre a license; and so, they're ignored.
Pedestrians and roads safety
Interesting commenst on ICBC's lack of interest in pedestrian safety. Someone is funding the many crosswalks that now have flashing lights and alert drivers that someone is using the cross walk. Also more intersection camera' s for those few who are interested,as well as some variable speed limit signs.
There have been and will be major investmenst in road improvements,such and the Malahat-these are are all positive improvements in conditions-but injuries continue to climb.
There has been very little investment in changing behavaviour on our roads.The occassioanal blizt on a safety topic. I think this is one of the reasons that injuries and accidents ,and costs continue to climb.Not enough follow up on basic causes of accidents-driver and pedestrian behaviour.
The exception was distracted driving ,which did recieve a lot of media commucation and more drivers are pulling over to talk.
There have been 7 fatal accidents in past 12 months in the Comox Valley, but as far as communciation on causes, and prevention- it is business as usual.
collisions with pedestrains continue in Comox Valley
Reported in the online local paper that another pedestrian was hit and injured this morning in Courtenay.The forth pedestrian and cyclist hit since Sunday -the story reports, .It seems an epidemic in the Comox Valley, where drivers regularly drive well above the limit ,distracted and impaired.
Electronic signs, informational intersection cameras are not going to change this. Education and enforcement could.
Pedestrians
The fifth pedestrian in four days was hit on a Comox.Valley Road, today. Unfortunatly these outcomes are predictable here as too many pedestrians do not respect vechicles and far too many drivers drive too fast, distracted and some are impaired.
How can ICBC, the Highways Minister or the Minister of Justice let these deaths and serious injuries continue?
It's Not All Up to Government
Drivers and pedestrians have a stake in this too. We've all seen drivers and pedestrians that either don't bother looking or don't follow the rules. They are a large part of the problem.
it's up to somebody to lead
It's not all up to Government-however....
My experience was in Industry.In the day, Senior Management were accountable for safety results. Why?- they set policy,assign resources and budgets and were accountable for due diligence-doing everything reasonable to prevent accidents, including training ,instruction ,promotion,observation and correcting unsafe condtions and behaviors.
So in the wild west world of driving in BC, I would expect senior mangement in Government to be accountable for safety results on our roads. Goverements establish policy/budgets and have decided not to use camera technolgy to manage excess speed, for example. Another example is raising speed limits and focus on left lane drivers-.generally speeding up traffic.There should be some consequence for the managers of policy-the people who make the decisions that affect road safety , if they are not effective at preventing accidents and injuries.
.Does this not make a bit of sense? Where is the leadership?