Ont. coroner’s review calls for lower speed limits

Ontario must do more to prevent pedestrians from being killed, including lowering the default speed limit on its residential streets, the province’s chief coroner says.

“Speed kills,” lead author Dr. Bert Lauwers said.

“Roads need to be made safe for all users.”

Lauwers’ review recommends changing the speed limit on city streets from 50 km/h to 40 km/h unless otherwise noted.

The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario launched the review after a spate of deaths in January 2010. Twenty-three pedestrians died in the province that month — 14 of those in 14 days in the GTA.
 
The 66-page Pedestrian Death Review, released on Wednesday, found most pedestrian deaths —  67 per cent — happened on roads with a speed limit above 50 km/h and only five per cent on roads less than 50.

It also showed:

  • 75 per cent of the deaths happened on wide arterial roads.
  • Peak hours for pedestrian collisions were between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., when traffic volume was highest.
  • About 20 per cent of pedestrians may have been distracted by a mobile device, a pet or something else.
  • Pedestrians over the age of 65 accounted for 36 per cent of the deaths but only 13.2 per cent of the Ontario’s population.

Eileen Hewitt, 91, and a friend were jaywalking when they were hit by a car last year.

“At the time of the crash, I didn’t know that my friend had been killed,” Hewitt told CityNews.

“I had to learn my balance and then I had to learn to walk. And that took a long time,” she said.

Albert Koehl, a lawyer for the United Senior Citizens of Ontario, praised the review.

“If even one family can be spared the terrible grief of losing a loved one in a death on our roads this review will be worthwhile,” he said.

“We know these recommendations will actually save far more lives, as long as our leaders listen carefully and act promptly.”

The report also recommends Ontario develop a walking strategy, which would mean installing side guards on heavy trucks, giving municipalities more authority to change speed limits, creating more pedestrian crossings and increasing enforcement and education.

In April, Toronto’s chief medical officer of health Dr. David McKeown called for the speed limit on residential roads be reduced to 30 km/h to make them safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

He also recommended a city-wide speed limit of 40 km/h on all other streets unless otherwise posted.

McKeown cited a study which said pedestrians are far less likely to be killed or injured for every 10-kilometre reduction below 60 km/h.

Click here to read the coroner’s full review.

With files from Erin Criger

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