Crashes with cyclists and pedestrians are on the rise locally

November 08, 2018, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

There was a good article in Kitchener Today that should serve as a wakeup call for all pedestrians, cyclsits, drivers and law makers in the Region of Waterloo. We need to all slow down and take more care in our day to day lives.

 

Crashes with cyclists, pedestrians on the rise in Waterloo Region

There have been 471 crashes at the intersection of Homer Watson and Block Line since 2013
by: Erin Anderson

 A new regional report has some startling numbers when it comes to in-town crashes.

The Region of Waterloo 2017 Collision Report shows the amount of crashes between cars and cyclists went up 13 per cent from 2016.

It gets worse when you look at crashes with pedestrians - as that rose by 14 per cent.

The region says we're probably seeing the spike because more people are walking, or biking to and from work.

Overall, crashes between vehicles only rose by point-five per cent in 2017.

There is some more good news too, as the amount of fatal crashes on a per capita basis continues to trend downward.

The most dangerous place to drive in Waterloo Region? Homer Watson at Block Line - as there's been 471 crashes there since 2013.

Westmount at Victoria in Kitchener was ranked as the worst intersection for pedestrian-related crashes, while Hespeler Road at Munch Avenue in Cambridge was ranked number one for cyclist collisions.

Regional staff will present the full collision report to the Planning and Works Committee in December of this year, which will include an assessment of potential countermeasures for these problem locations.

Safety tips for cycling and walking from the Region of Waterloo:

When you cycle, remember to:

• be visible - use lights, reflectors and wear reflective material
• be predictable - signal your intentions, ride with traffic and obey all road signals 
• always have room to manoeuvre - don't squeeze between curbs and other vehicles

It is the law in Ontario that drivers and cyclists must stop and wait for pedestrians and school crossing guards to cross the entire road at:

• Pedestrian crossovers
• School crossings
• Any locations when a crossing guard is present 

Safety tips for walking:

• See and be seen
• Only cross at crosswalks or intersections
• Pay attention and stay alert
• Use the sidewalk
• Supervise children when near traffic

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

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