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What the Heck is PEDVIZ?

"What the Heck is" introduces you to Vancouver organizations and causes you might not have yet heard about, written from an insider's point of view by people working within them. View the archive HERE .

"What the Heck is" introduces you to Vancouver organizations and causes you might not have yet heard about, written from an insider's point of view by people working within them. View the archive HERE.

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Just about everybody I talk to these days has been hit by a car, knows someone who’s been hit by a car, or has almost hit someone while driving a car.

One fellow told me his dad hit – and killed – a pedestrian a few years back.

My mom’s next door neighbor was just hit by a car while she was out walking.

My assistant’s son was struck by a car a few years back.

Someone else volunteers that their sister was struck by a car this past winter while walking along the road in Whistler.

Snow, no sidewalks, and après ski makes Whistler a postcard setting for pedestrian/vehicle collisions. (Heads up, Spring Breakers.)

I did a pop up shop at West Elm Market a few weeks back; six people told me about their direct experience with a pedestrian/vehicle collision. One person’s tale involved five weeks of hospitalization.

Statistically, these collisions are going down.

Anecdotally, these collisions are going up.

Who really cares about the numbers? One avoidable pedestrian death is one too many.

Growing up, you were probably told to “Drive Defensively”.

Still good advice.

Add to that this new warning: “Walk Defensively”.

We’ve had a few game changers in the last few years.

Silent hybrid vehicles.

24/7 commerce in bigger, denser, busier cities.

Aging population.

The deadly chic of black outerwear.

But here’s the money note:

Distraction.

Distracted drivers.

Distracted pedestrians.

If terrorist snipers were killing and injuring hundreds of people in our city annually, you bet we’d do something about it.

But it’s us who is the perpetrator.

And we’re the victim, as well.

Understand the risks and then – pay careful attention to what I’m about to say – do something about it. No level of government is going to be able to protect you. Sure, we can prosecute the perpetrators. Fat lot of good that’ll do you in your wheelchair. Or worse. My sister-in-law was struck in a crosswalk, crossing with the light, two blocks from her home.

Doing something is actually cheap, fast and easy.

I started looking at the subject of pedestrian visibility and distraction in my work as a journalist. I want to share with you what I’ve learned.

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Check out pedviz.com. Pedviz.com is supported by BC’s Community for Preventable Injuries. It’s a labour of love. And of fear. And of hope.

I’m hoping some simple tips will help get you home safely.

Pedestrian visibility and distraction is a problem we can fix.

And how often can you say that about a big problem?

- Jane MacDougall

PEDVIZ Founder