A pedestrian wearing dark clothes was lucky to escape unharmed after being hit by a car in Sea and Sky, the new downtown subdivision.
The accident happened on January 3, when the driver of a pick-up truck was traveling north at slow speed in a dark area on Laurelwood near Channel Road and hit a pedestrian wearing dark clothing. Police and BC Ambulance responded and even though the pedestrian was not injured, the individual was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
In November, the District of Squamish, ICBC, and RCMP started their annual Be Bright at Night campaign, reminding people to wear something bright, fluorescent, or reflective when travelling through the community after dark.
“Being bright should also be adopted during dull, rainy days when it’s more difficult for drivers to see pedestrians and cyclists due to oncoming headlights, rain and wet roads,” the campaign urges.
“The Be Bright at Night campaign is particularly significant in Squamish given our community continues to be active through Squamish’s darker and wetter months,” says District of Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford. “These conditions greatly impair visibility for drivers putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk. Accidents happen every year, often with tragic results, so while driving please exercise extra caution, and while moving about our community on foot or bike please take steps to be bright and reflective. These simple actions could save a life, maybe even your own.”
Almost one in five people killed in car crashes across B.C. are pedestrians, and year-round, crashes involving pedestrians happen most often from October to January, on Thursdays and Fridays from 3 pm to 6 pm. As many as 79% of crashes involving pedestrians in B.C. happen at intersections.
