By YVONNE DICK
January brings cold winter home for pedestrians around Ponoka. These are the days of bundling up, buttoning up, and covering up all exposed skin.
Pedestrians crossing sidewalks may not see or hear cars approaching amidst all the winter wear. Drivers with frost or snow covering part of the window may not see pedestrians or other cars.
“As a high number of serious injuries and fatalities continue to occur at intersections in Alberta throughout the year, a provincial wide focus on intersection safety has been targeted for January 2011,” says Ponoka’s new RCMP staff sergeant, Cameron Chisholm.
Through the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, this month’s focus will be on intersection safety for drivers and those who cross the roads. RCMP and the Sheriff’s integrated traffic units will pay particular attention to intersections, rural and urban, and pedestrians should too.
“The Ponoka RCMP will participate in this initiative through the use of increased enforcement and awareness activities relating to intersection safety during the month. This initiative will contribute towards improving the safety of pedestrians and motorists within our community,” says Chisholm.
Pedestrians can take some key steps to protect themselves from being injured while crossing intersections, as well as avoid fines this month by doing the following:
• Don’t drink and cross. According to Alberta Transportation, 76.9 per cent of pedestrians involved in fatal collisions had consumed alcohol prior to the accident, compared with 14.6 per cent of pedestrians involved in injury accidents who had consumed alcohol. Take a cab or get a friend to help you home.
• Use the system now taught to students. Raise your arm and point to the intersection you want to cross. Pause, to make sure cars have stopped. Cross safely.
• Don’t cross against lights simply because you don’t see any cars coming.
• Don’t loiter in intersections, if you drop an item it’s better to get to the other side of the road and have it run over rather than your body.
• Take the headphones out and the cellphone off your face. You need to hear what’s coming, just because one car stops doesn’t mean the one on the other side will.
For drivers, ailing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk carries a fine of $575 plus four demerit points.
By law, pedestrians always have right of way at an unmarked intersection or stop sign unless otherwise indicated by signage. Jaywalking can be dangerous and net a road crosser a fine.
For drivers, ignoring intersection safety can cost. Failure to stop at a stop sign results in a $287 fine and three demerits, whether it’s a stop sign in a town or city or one on a rural country road.