To the editor:
Re: “Motorists must take more responsibility for road safety,” Nov. 28.
I would like to thank Melissa and Chris Bruntlett for highlighting motorists’ responsibility to share our roads safely.
As a daily cyclist commuter in all weather and seasons, I know the challenges of sharing the road with two-tonne machines.
I agree that drivers need to take more responsibility for pedestrian safety by staying focused on the road, avoiding distractions and being ready to yield to pedestrians — especially at intersections and near transit stops where pedestrians may not use crosswalks. This has certainly been a key focus of our pedestrian safety campaign this fall.
We also work with the provincial government and municipalities to make road improvements to prevent crashes. In 2013 alone, ICBC invested approximately $603,000 in 19 road improvement projects to make Vancouver’s roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers.
The Bruntletts are also correct that short, dark days and wet weather at this time of year pose a safety risk for pedestrians. In fact, 76 per cent more pedestrians are injured in crashes from November to January compared to June to August in B.C. We’ve been educating pedestrians about the risks and encouraging them to do things like making eye contact with drivers, using safety reflectors and avoiding their own distractions while crossing the street.
Yes, the onus should be on drivers to look for pedestrians when they are approaching a crosswalk, particularly because nearly 75 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians happen at intersections. When turning at an intersection, drivers need to look twice to make sure there are no pedestrians crossing. We support police enforcement when drivers don’t obey the rules of the road.
The majority of crashes are preventable. We all need to do our part to keep our roads safe by making smart decisions on the roads.
John Dickinson,
ICBC director of road safety
