Pedestrian safety campaign launches in Kamloops following multiple incidents

After multiple incidents in the last couple of months involving pedestrians hit by vehicles, shelves, Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) and affiliated agencies are teaming up for an awareness campaign.

The goal of the campaign is to get people to be more careful, plan better and take preventative measures, says Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Jodi Shelkie.

"At this time, we did have a concerted effort with the City of Kamloops and KFR to come together because of recent accidents involving both pedestrians and vehicles," she says. "This is the time of year when it's getting the darkest of the earliest; we've found most pedestrian and vehicle accidents happen between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m."

Asst. Fire Chief Robb Scholar says "too many" pedestrians are being hit.

"I mean that seriously. One pedestrian struck is one too many," he says.

Recent incidents include one fatality (TRU staff member Lucy Phua), one hit-and-run with a teen and another incident that sent an 18-year-old woman to the hospital.

Shelkie says responsibility for pedestrian safety lies with both drivers and pedestrians. Drivers need to be aware, at all times, a pedestrian may appear, and be extra cautious around intersections. Pedestrians, meanwhile, need to cross at crosswalks and take preventative measures.

"Maybe they haven't dressed taking into account it's going to be dark when they're walking home," she says. "(They should ask themselves), 'At the end of the day, when I'm going home, do I have the clothes that are going to be the best suited for me to walk home in the dark?'"

Put a little thought earlier in your day (like packing reflective vests), and it could save you on the walk home, she adds.

Today (Dec. 10), KFR, local RCMP, city bylaw and volunteers took these messages to the street, setting up at the Capital Center Tournament (TCC). They spoke to pedestrians, tracked vehicle speeds along the road between Hillside Stadium and the TCC.

"We have heard from the TCC that people are driving at a faster speed than the 20 mph speed limit," Shelkie says. "The TCC is a place where families and children come a lot and children may be darting out of vehicles or crossing the street, not in a crosswalk."

Shelkie says future events are planned for similar parts of the city, where pedestrians and vehicles are nearby.