The recent spate of pedestrian hit-and-runs has B.C.'s justice minister looking into ways to make our roads safer. Over the last few days, there have been three such accidents in the region, with two of them resulting in deaths and two pedestrians landing in hospital with serious injuries.
Before anyone suggests it's open season on pedestrians, it's time to take a deep breath. Tougher penalties aren't necessary going to prevent people from being hit; there are already stiff penalties in place for people who leave the scene of an accident, speed and drive without due care and attention - yet accidents still happen.
Pedestrians as well as drivers need to pay more attention and acknowledge one another at crossings. More reflective clothing would help and drivers need to slow down in the dark. Even more traffic analysis could lead to safer intersections.
There is no single answer - safety, in the end, is everybody's responsibility.
What do you think?Would tougher penalties against drivers involved in pedestrian accidents cut down on such incidents? Vote in our online poll.
