Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Police offer road-safety tips

Prince George RCMP are urging walkers, runners, cyclists and drivers to take precautions in light of the three recent deaths on city streets and have offered the following tips for crossing roads as the daylight hours continue to diminish.
Road-safety-tips.17.jpg
A pedestrian gets caught in the downpour while crossing Victoria Street at 3rd Avenue.

Prince George RCMP are urging walkers, runners, cyclists and drivers to take precautions in light of the three recent deaths on city streets and have offered the following tips for crossing roads as the daylight hours continue to diminish.

If you're a walker or runner:

- Make eye contact with approaching drivers and cyclists;

- Use designated crossing points and be sure all lanes of traffic have stopped before stepping out. Just because one driver stops does not mean that others will;

- Obey traffic signals - only enter the intersection if the pedestrian signal is being displayed and it is safe for you to do so;

- Walk on the left hand side of the road so that you can see oncoming traffic closest to you;

- Do not presume that drivers see you - wear bright and reflective clothing at night and early morning;

- Leave your ear buds behind. Often we hear dangers before we see them;

- Even if you have the right of way, take the extra time to ensure you are safe. Doing so may save your life.

If you're a cyclist:

- Make eye contact with pedestrians;

- Follow all rules of the road - bicycles are vehicles too;

- Yield to pedestrians;

- Don't ride on sidewalks - stay to the right hand side of the roadway or in designated lanes;

- Have a bicycle bell on your bicycle to warn approaching pedestrians and other road users;

- Ensure your bicycle is equipped with a working headlight and tail light. Turn them on before it gets dark and turn them off well after it gets light.

If you're a driver:

- Make eye contact with pedestrians;

- Yield to pedestrians that are on the roadway;

- Watch for pedestrians at intersections, especially when turning;

- Expect the unexpected - a vehicle stopping in a lane beside you may be yielding to a pedestrian crossing the road;

- Obey traffic signals;

- Slow down when approaching crowds or places where pedestrians are known to be.

"Our daylight hours are quickly diminishing and a driver's visibility is seriously compromised, particularly when it's raining and pedestrians are wearing dark clothing," Cpl. Craig Douglass said.

"Twilight and sunrise are often the most difficult times for drivers to see because the sun is so low. Please stay safe when traveling on or near our roads."

Police and the coroners service are continuing to investigate last Thursday's incident in which two people - Patricia Sims-McLelan, 50, and David Sakawsky, 49 - were killed when struck by a commercial truck and trailer while crossing Nicholson Street near College of New Caledonia.

"These types of investigations are very complex and take time to come to a result," Douglass said and declined to speculate on what happened.

"We must let the evidence and facts make that determination. At this point in the investigation there is no evidence to suggest that speed or alcohol were factors."

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.

It was the second such incident in less than a week. On the night of Oct. 5, Scotty Bryan, 36, of Vanderhoof was killed when struck by a pickup truck while crossing First Avenue near Dominion Street.