Another person has been seriously hurt after being struck by a car, prompting a warning from police.
On Saturday, just before 10 a.m., a 77-year-old woman was crossing 72 Avenue in the 12100-block. She was struck by an eastbound 2014 Nissan Sentra and suffered serious injuries.
The driver, a 27-year-old male from Surrey, remained at the scene. Police do not believe speed or impairment was a factor in the accident.
A day earlier, on Friday, Jan. 8, another woman was struck by a KIA minivan in the Guildford area.
She was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition, a status which has improved marginally.
On Wednesday, Jan. 6, police responded to two other similar incidents where pedestrians suffered minor injuries after being struck by vehicles. The incidents took place in Newton and Cloverdale.
Surrey RCMP’s Traffic Services Unit will be stepping up enforcement in some of the high pedestrian locations over the next few days to help spread the message further about pedestrian safety.
“Quite simply, if you are distracted or not paying attention to what’s happening on the road in front of you, you are dramatically increasing your risk of either being a victim or the driver involved in a serious pedestrian motor vehicle incident,” said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann. “For both drivers and pedestrians, it is a good time to review safety tips, including making eye contact with drivers before crossing and always being ready to yield to pedestrians.”
In 2015, eight out of the 15 fatal traffic collisions in Surrey involved pedestrians. Over the past few years, more than 40 per cent of the fatal collisions in Surrey have involved pedestrians. ICBC notes that 75 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians occur at intersections during the winter months (November-January) and usually on Fridays between 3 and 6 p.m.
For more information on pedestrian safety and road safety, visit the Surrey RCMP’s website.
