Delta Police focus on pedestrian safety
Delta Police officers and volunteers braved the elements this week to educate the public about pedestrian safety and driver awareness.
On a rainy Tuesday (Jan. 31), Ladner Community Police Station volunteers clad in bright yellow waterproof jackets were on hand at the four corners at the intersection of Arthur Dr. and Ladner Trunk Rd.
As pedestrians approached the crosswalk—many of them Delta Secondary School students on lunch break—volunteers offered safe crossing tips and handed out reflective wristbands and zipper tags.
The pedestrian safety program, a partnership between Delta Police and ICBC, was scheduled to take place Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 during peak hours at three different intersections: Ladner Trunk Rd. and Arthur Dr., 56th Street and 12th Ave. in Tsawwassen, and 72nd Ave. and 120th St. in North Delta.
"Those are big intersections in the Delta community," said Delta Police spokesman Const. Ciaran Feenan, who attended the lunchtime session in Ladner on Tuesday.
Feenan said an average of 33 pedestrians are injured and two are killed each year in Delta. Meanwhile, an average 15 cyclists are injured, and none are killed.
"Obviously there is some concern for us, and we believe this initiative is going to help us drive down the safest roads in B.C.," he said.
The most recent pedestrian fatality in South Delta occurred in September 2011. A 43-year-old female was struck and killed at Elliott Street and 48th Ave. in Ladner.
The intersection of Arthur Drive and Ladner Trunk Road is scheduled to undergo a $4 million makeover this year which is hoped to ease traffic congestion. The project, which will see the demolition of the vacant Kentucky Fried Chicken, includes the addition of several dedicated turn lanes.
Ladner Community Police Station Const. John Smith, who was also on hand Tuesday, said he expects the changes to increase driver and pedestrian visibility at the busy thoroughfare.
Volunteers and police officers provided the following safety tips this week:
Tips for Pedestrians:
• Always be cautious and pay attention to traffic. Drivers may not always stop or obey
traffic signals.
• Wear bright or light-coloured clothing. When the sun starts going down or in bad weather,
wear reflective material on your clothes (sleeves, shoes, jacket or cap).
• Focus your full attention on what’s happening on the roadway so you can see, hear and
respond safely when you’re crossing the street. Removing your head phones, and
putting away your cell phone (or other gadgets) can make a difference.
• Use designated crossing points and follow pedestrian traffic signs and signals.
Tips for Drivers:
• Always yield to pedestrians at intersections.
• Be alert and scan left and right for pedestrians when you approach any intersection.
• Drive defensively. Be prepared for poor driving conditions or unsafe actions of other
drivers, pedestrians or cyclists. Expect the unexpected.
• If a vehicle is stopped in front of you or in the lane next to you, they may be yielding for a
pedestrian, so be prepared to stop.
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