October is Pedestrian Safety Month: Let’s Work Together to Keep Everyone Safe on Mississauga Roads

October is Pedestrian Safety Month in Mississauga. The City of Mississauga’s Road Safety Committee is partnering with the Region of Peel and Peel Regional Police to raise awareness about pedestrian safety. The risk for pedestrian collisions increases during the fall when daylight hours shorten. This campaign will raise awareness of these safety concerns for all road users to help prevent the risk of collisions and keep all road users safe on Peel Region and Mississauga roads while implementing Vision Zero principles.

“We’ve simply seen too many pedestrian collisions throughout Mississauga that are preventable. We need everyone in our city to prioritize protecting one another on our streets,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “As a City, we’re rolling out real solutions to address pedestrian safety concerns in making Vision Zero a reality. This year, we’ve installed Automated Speed Enforcement cameras, lowered speed limits in neighbourhoods and school zones, and used traffic monitoring technology to monitor congestion and respond quickly to incidents and emergencies.”

In 2020, there were 410 collisions in Peel Region between a vehicle and pedestrian. Fifty-eight per cent (238 collisions) were in Mississauga, with 50 per cent involving drivers making turns at intersections.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility between pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Paying attention to surroundings is important. As we move into fall and shorter daylight hours the risk for pedestrian collisions increases,” said Pat Saito, Ward 9 Councillor and Chair of the Road Safety Committee. “Through campaigns spearheaded by Mississauga’s Road Safety Committee, we’ve been reminding all drivers to slow down, obey posted speed limits and road signs and come to a complete stop at stop signs.”

According to the Peel Regional Police, the most common driving behaviours that contribute to collisions include failure to yield, distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and failure to stop.

“Pedestrians are our most vulnerable road users and their safety is of primary concern for the Region of Peel,” said Peel Region Chair Nando Iannicca. “We are working closely with the City of Mississauga and other key stakeholders to align with the Region of Peel’s Vision Zero Road Safety Strategic Plan and implement many ongoing initiatives for enhancing our road system to help keep pedestrians safe and ultimately save lives.”

The City is continuing to implement key actions in strategic and transportation plans related to walking, including the City’s Official Plan, Strategic Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Cycling Master Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan.

“With more than 70 per cent of residents walking at least 30 minutes a day outside, our priority is to ensure Mississauga residents of all ages and abilities can move safely and comfortably as pedestrians,” said Geoff Wright, Commissioner, Transportation and Works. “We are making important investments in our pedestrian infrastructure and technology, like filling in gaps in our sidewalk network, installing Automated Speed Enforcement cameras to reduce speeding and updating pedestrian signals to provide more time to cross an intersection.”

Safety tips for pedestrians:

• Follow pedestrian signals and be aware of your surroundings.
• Where possible, make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you before you proceed.
• Always cross at the pedestrian crossing, crosswalk or intersection.
• Avoid distractions and focus on what is happening around you while walking and when crossing the street.
• Don’t begin crossing the street during the flashing “don’t walk” phase. Press the button, if there is one, and wait for the next walk signal.
• If you are trying to maintain physical distancing by walking on the roadway, walk facing traffic where possible.

Safety tips for drivers:

• Look for pedestrians, especially when turning left or right. Don’t just look in front of you. Check the entire crosswalk for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk.
• Visibility decreases when it’s dark. Be extra vigilant at night or early mornings.
• Be more cautious near transit stops and stations. They are locations of high pedestrian activity that can be unpredictable.
• Always make a complete stop at a stop sign. Make sure the intersection is clear of pedestrians and other vehicles before proceeding.

Safety tips for cyclists:

• On trails, pass slower moving traffic on the left.
• Use your bell or say “Passing on your left” to let pedestrians know you are planning to pass.
• At a cross-ride, ride through the dedicated cycling space and allow pedestrians full use of the crosswalk.
• Check for pedestrians crossing the street before making any turns at intersections.

To learn more about driver and pedestrian safety, visit mississauga.ca/pedestrian-safety and peelregion.ca/pedestriansafety.

Tags

• Public Safety
• Roads and Traffic