It’s getting darker earlier, which makes it harder to see on our roads. We remind all road users to stay extra cautious and alert this time of year, especially from evenings into the early morning. Whether you’re walking, cycling or driving, remember to pay attention to your surroundings and obey the rules of the road.
If you’re driving, be aware of the posted speed limit and watch for pedestrians and cyclists, especially when turning. To help increase your visibility, use designated crosswalks or crossrides to cross the road if you’re walking or cycling, and use lights and reflectors on your bike.
Learn more about pedestrian safety
As daylight hours shorten, Peel Region reminds all road users to be more aware and stay alert when travelling. Less daylight means pedestrians can be harder to see at dawn and dusk. When approaching an intersection, take extra caution. More than 50% of collisions between pedestrians and vehicles happen when drivers turn into intersections and pedestrians are crossing with the right-of-way.
If you’re walking
- Always cross at pedestrian crosswalks or crossovers. Avoid crossing anywhere else.
- Always press the pedestrian pushbutton. Pressing this button will activate the ‘Walk’ signal and give you more time to cross.
- Stop, look, and listen before crossing.
- Where possible, make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you before you proceed.
- Avoid distractions like texting, cellphones, and headphones when crossing the street.
- Once the ‘Don’t Walk’ hand signal starts flashing, you can finish crossing, but don’t begin to cross. Wait for the next ‘Walk’ signal.
- Pedestrians can be hard to see at night, dawn, and dusk. When walking, wear bright clothing or reflective materials so others can see you.
If you’re cycling
- If the intersection has bicycle signals, look for a cyclist pushbutton. If there’s a button, push it and wait until the bicycle signal is green.
- Ride carefully across the intersection and within the crossride. Watch for left- and right-turning vehicles to make sure they see you and are yielding.
- Ride at a speed that lets you stop safely when necessary.
- Make sure that all your bicycle lights and reflectors are working properly.
If you’re driving
- Look for pedestrians and cyclists, especially when approaching an intersection.
- Slow down and be ready to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
- It’s harder to see pedestrians when it’s dark. Be extra cautious in the early morning and at night.
- Give the road your full attention. Avoid distractions like texting, cellphones, and headphones while driving.
- Drive within the posted speed limits and adjust your speed in keeping with the weather and traffic conditions.
- Be more cautious near transit stops and stations. The high pedestrian activity in these locations can be unpredictable.
As part of our Vision Zero plan, Peel Region, together with our municipal and community partners, is working with the community to reduce injury and death caused by collisions.
In addition to supporting ongoing safety awareness in the community, Peel Region continues to make infrastructure changes to improve pedestrian safety as part of the Vision Zero Road Safety Strategic Plan.
These changes include:
- Building pedestrian crossovers to create more locations for pedestrians to cross with the right-of-way.
- Adding pedestrian crossovers to right turn channels, giving pedestrians the right-of-way to cross to the island.
- Reducing crossing distances by bumping out (extending) curbs and reducing lane widths.
- Adding leading pedestrian intervals that give pedestrians the ‘Walk’ signal before drivers get a green light. The goal of this strategy is to make pedestrians more visible to drivers turning left and right.
