Article contentTORONTO – A security initiative that saw municipal officials distribute arm bands to seniors in Toronto over the weekend sparked a public outcry, but a nationwide security organization says pedestrians ought to take steps to make themselves more seen.
The Canada Safety Council, which was not involved in the occasion, says each other type of transportation in Canada has necessities for lights or reflectors, which has helped drive down fatal collisions over time.
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“Pedestrians are the one issues which might be circulating on the market to which there’s no requirement to have any type of reflectors or lights or something like that, and that’s probably why their numbers are probably not changing a lot over time,” mentioned Raynald Marchand, the organization’s normal manager of packages.
Article content materialRoughly 300 pedestrians across the nation died each year from 2013 by way of 2015, reflective fabric with the quantity spiking to 346 in 2016 and dropping to 284 in 2017, in response to Transport Canada. If you treasured this article and you simply would like to acquire more info relating to reflective fabric – https://www.file-upload.com, kindly visit our web site. Toronto alone has reported 31 pedestrian deaths to date this 12 months.
Wearing reflective clothing, while not obligatory, may reduce the risk to pedestrians, particularly at night time or in unhealthy weather, Marchand said.
A pedestrian security event in east Toronto noticed police hand out arm bands to seniors on Saturday, setting off a wave of backlash from critics who mentioned it positioned the accountability on pedestrians reasonably that specializing in dangerous drivers.
Among the many critics was Toronto’s former city planner and mayoral candidate, Jennifer Keesmaat, who noted the variety of collisions in town rose – and the number of tickets for provincial visitors offences decreased – after the police force eliminated its devoted traffic enforcement team in 2013.
Article content material”As ticketing went down, damage and loss of life on our city streets has gone up. Who will likely be held accountable?” she stated on Twitter.
Police, meanwhile, stated the weekend occasion and the arm bands were requested by a committee that acts as a liaison with the city’s Chinese group and included info on other security initiatives.
The force additionally mentioned the visitors enforcement staff could be restored and would goal high-collision areas and handle dangerous behaviours reminiscent of aggressive and distracted driving.
“We’ll continue to do all we are able to to guard our communities and remove deaths and accidents on our roads,” deputy police chief Peter Yuen stated in a statement.
Other communities in Canada have given out reflective arm bands lately as they seek to extend pedestrian safety, including Halifax and Nanaimo, B.C.
Marchand, of the Canada Safety Council, mentioned it’s in the interest of pedestrians to do what they will to guard themselves.
“It’s everyone’s duty to be safe….everyone has to be a part of the answer,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was initially published on Nov. 25, 2019.
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