Const. Deanna Law says it comes as no surprise Coquitlam RCMP's traffic team caught several hundred people violating traffic laws in a single month.
The detachment reported a total of 434 tickets in September, representing a 4.3 per cent year-over-year increase from the same month in 2020 (416).
This includes:
- 243 speeding tickets
- 101 intersection violations
- 48 for distracted driving
- 35 for seatbelt violations
- Seven impaired driving violations
With the days getting shorter in the fall, it can be harder for drivers and pedestrians to see each other and Law says it takes both parties to ensure everyone's safety.
"One of our priorities is to keep drivers safe while on the roadway and our hope is that seeing reported stats may remind them to follow all the rules when getting behind the wheel," she stated in an interview with the Tri-City News.
In August, there were 496 traffic violation tickets issued, which compared to last month is a 12.5 per cent decrease.
However, with school back in session and local residents going back to work in the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, Law says more vehicles are out on the road and increasing the potential more incidents.
"We have seen that daily traffic has increased over the past couple months and the Coquitlam RCMP would like to remind drivers to leave a bit earlier, allowing more time to arrive at their destination safely."
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH
Throughout the month of October, RCMP and ICBC are teaming up to encourage everyone to stay focused on the sidewalk as well as the road.
ICBC's latest stats reveal an average of 57 people die each year and more than 2,600 are injured across the province resulting from motor vehicle incidents involving pedestrians.
Of those numbers, 78 per cent take place at intersections and many are the result of distracted driving and failing to yield for pedestrians.
The corporation explains weather can also be a factor this time of year as fall is set to bring shorter days.
Coquitlam Mounties have issued the following tips to avoid pedestrian collisions:
PEDESTRIANS
- Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. Do not assume a driver has seen you.
- Dress to be seen in bright or reflective clothing especially at night and on dark/overcast days.
- Use a crosswalk, a majority of the fatal pedestrian collisions involve jaywalking.
- Walk on the inside edge of the sidewalk so you are further away from traffic.
- If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.
- Make sure you can hear and see oncoming cars. Remove your headphones and your hood when crossing the street.
- Always look for signs that a vehicle is about to move (rear lights, exhaust smoke, sound of motor, wheels turning).
DRIVERS
- Focus on the road. Always leave your phone alone while driving.
- Be ready to yield to pedestrians, especially when turning at intersections and near transit stops.
- If a vehicle has stopped in front of you or in the lane next to you, it may be yielding for a pedestrian.
- Expect the unexpected, even mid-block, as pedestrians may be jaywalking.
- Slow down. Give yourself more time to react to the unexpected, like a pedestrian that suddenly appears in front of you.
For more information, you're encouraged to visit ICBC's website.
