How a group is raising awareness for crosswalk safety in the Halifax area

People gathered in Dartmouth, N.S., Saturday to raise awareness for crosswalk safety following a number of pedestrian deaths in the last several months.

The Pedestrian Safety Project in partnership with the Crosswalk Safety Society of Nova Scotia held a safety meeting and awareness walk. Police and local politicians also participated, with officers offering information and tips for safe crosswalk use.

“People tend to walk out in the crosswalk without looking even though it’s a simple thing, but they think that the cars are going to stop and that’s not always the case,” said Pedestrian Safety Project founder Rebecca Cameron.

The group invited people to share their stories, concerns, and feedback with a goal of enacting change.

“Everybody needs to collaborate together to improve crosswalk safety,” said Cameron.

The Pedestrian Safety Project said the number of people injured each year at marked crossings continues to rise.

“Given the time of year, the weather is getting better, people are going to be walking more, it’s just a matter of being extra careful, extra vigilant,” said Cameron. “People will be out driving more as well, so just stop with the distractions, slow down.”

According to Halifax Regional Police, there have been at least 25 pedestrian-vehicle collisions so far this year with some resulting in fatalities.

In January, a 72-year-old man was struck in Dartmouth while in a marked crosswalk. He later died in hospital.

A 21-year-old woman also succumbed to her injuries after she was hit at an intersection just two weeks later. The driver in that case has been charged with several offences, including criminal negligence causing death.

As of Dec. 2024, the Crosswalk Society of Nova Scotia said it has installed crosswalk flags at more than 230 locations in Halifax Regional Municipality and facilitated another 142 installations in 31 communities across Nova Scotia.

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