Kentville ending left turns on red lights
In the wake of two pedestrians being hit in downtown Kentville crosswalks this year, the town is no longer allowing left turns on red lights at two intersections with one-way traffic.
Town council asked the traffic authority and police service to look at crosswalk issues in the town after a pedestrian was struck and killed in July on a crosswalk away from the downtown that did not involve traffic lights.
That happened three months before a man was struck and seriously injured in the crosswalk at Main and Aberdeen Streets by a vehicle turning left on a red. A woman was struck this fall in the same intersection.
Mayor Sandra Snow said in an email that there continues to be near misses involving pedestrians with the right of way and vehicles turning left.
Deputy police chief Darryl Brown said the force recommended to the traffic authority that the left turn be removed.
“We've had a couple of incidents at that corner in the past little while, and this is one way that will make crossing that crosswalk safer,” Brown said.
He said the buildings on the corners are close to the intersection and can impair vision.
But for the most part, he said, the issue is that drivers become fixated on looking to the right for an opening in traffic that they forget to look left for pedestrians before proceeding through the intersection.
The intersections have two lanes of one-way traffic, “and when you have both vehicles making a left turn on a red light, you have to be aware of your surroundings for sure.”
Shawna Porter owns a trophy shop on Aberdeen Street near the intersection with Main Street. She said she likes the move to stop left turns on red.
“I think it's a good idea for safety reasons,” she said. “You get so busy watching traffic so you can turn that you miss seeing people coming across the crosswalk. There have been enough close calls and enough accidents that it's a very wise choice."
One of her tenants in apartments that she rents above the store was the man hit in April. A truck struck him and he ended up underneath, with a broken hip, concussion, head trauma and amnesia from the time before the crash.
“When I heard that they were removing the turn, (his incident) was the first thing I thought of,” she said, “This might reduce some risks.”
Brown said he believes the new signs are ready, and will be set up at the intersections soon.
He said the force receives complaints about all of its crosswalks from time to time.
The force has also recommended the removal of parking spaces that are close to crosswalks and obstruct motorists' view of people stepping off the sidewalk. That change is also expected shortly.