Pedestrians and drivers across Lethbridge are being asked to keep safety top of mind over the next few weeks as a change in season, and driving conditions could create some tricky moments on the roads and pathways.
As part of a province-wide Traffic Enforcement Program, officials with the Lethbridge Police Service are reminding people in the region that it’s a shared responsibility between drivers and pedestrians. As the days get shorter and there’s less hours of daylight, it’s even more important that pedestrians take steps to make sure they are seen by drivers.
For pedestrians, police say it’s as simple as making sure you’re using properly marked and lit crosswalks, and doing their best signal their intent to cross by using Point, Pause, Proceed as a rule of thumb while crossing any roadway. LPS says it’s important to remember pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk unless a peace officer or traffic control device directs otherwise, meaning that even if the crosswalk is unmarked, vehicles must stop and yield to pedestrians.
In 2021, a total of 33 collisions involving pedestrians were reported in Lethbridge, two of which were tragically fatal. Failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk will result in a fine of $810 and four demerit points.