October is Pedestrian Safety Month

More than 50% of collisions between pedestrians and vehicles happen when drivers are turning into an intersection while pedestrians are crossing with the right-of-way.

As part of our Vision Zero plan, Peel Region, together with our municipal partners, is working with you to reduce injury and death caused by collisions.

Let’s work together to stay safe while sharing the road.

Safety tips for all road users

If you’re walking

• Always cross at pedestrian crosswalks or crossovers. Avoid crossing anywhere else.
• Always press the pedestrian pushbutton. Pressing this button will activate the ‘Walk’ signal and give you more time to cross.
• Stop, look, and listen before crossing, even when it’s your turn to cross.
• Where possible, make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you before you proceed.
• Avoid distractions like texting, cellphones, and headphones when crossing the street.
• Once ‘Don’t Walk’ hand signal starts flashing, you can finish crossing, but don’t begin to cross. Wait for the next ‘Walk’ signal.
• Pedestrians can be hard to see at night, dawn, and dusk. When walking, wear bright clothing or reflective materials so others can see you.

If you’re cycling

• If the intersection has bicycle signals, look for a cyclist pushbutton. If there’s a button, push it and wait until the bicycle signal is green.
• Ride carefully across the intersection within a crossride. Watch for left- and right-turning vehicles to make sure that they see you and are yielding.
• Ride at a speed that lets you stop safely when necessary.
• Make sure that all of your bicycle lights and reflectors are working properly.

If you’re driving:

• Look for pedestrians and cyclists, especially when approaching an intersection.
• Slow down and be ready to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
• It’s harder to see pedestrians when it’s dark. Be extra cautious in the early morning and at night.
• Give the road your full attention. Avoid distractions like texting, cellphones, and headphones while driving.
• Drive within the posted speed limits and adjust your speed in keeping with the weather and traffic conditions.
• Be more cautious near transit stops and stations. The high pedestrian activity in these locations can be unpredictable.

Peel Region is making infrastructure changes to improve pedestrian safety as part of the Vision Zero Road Safety Strategic Plan.

These changes include:

• Building pedestrian crossovers to create more locations for pedestrians to cross with the right-of-way.
• Adding pedestrian crossovers to right turn channels, giving pedestrians the right-of-way to cross to the island.
• Reducing crossing distances by bumping out (extending) curbs and reducing lane widths.
• Investigating strategies like leading pedestrian intervals that give pedestrians the ‘Walk’ signal before drivers get a green light. The goal of this strategy is to make pedestrians more visible to drivers turning left and right.