Edmonton Journal

New jaywalking signs blame victims: critics

- ELISE STOLTE estolte@postmedia.com twitter.com/estolte

Edmonton’s new anti-jaywalking signs — set up metres from an intersecti­on where two pedestrian­s were killed in a marked crosswalk — miss the point, say friends of one victim and safety advocates.

“It feels like a punch in the face from the city,” said Alex McKie, whose friend David Finkelman was killed in a marked crosswalk by a driver turning left.

“It’s victim blaming,” said Conrad Nobert, a local resident who has been advocating for curb cuts and speed reductions for the busiest 10-block stretch of Whyte Avenue.

City crews recently installed four anti-jaywalking signs in Edmonton’s high pedestrian areas, two on Whyte Avenue and two on Jasper Avenue.

Officials say it’s a first step in a larger strategy to reduce major injuries and fatalities on Edmonton’s roads.

Finkelman, a well-known musician, was killed crossing 101 Street on Whyte Avenue in January 2014. Another pedestrian, Peter Olson, was killed in January 2015 at the same intersecti­on.

He was also in a marked crosswalk, hit by a driver who ran a red light.

Most pedestrian­s hit on Edmonton streets are not at fault. According to the city’s data, 68 per cent of pedestrian­s injured or killed on Edmonton streets last year were in marked crosswalks, at street corners or crossing with a traffic light.

“I don’t think jaywalking is the major issue. This shouldn’t fall on pedestrian­s,” said McKie, asking drivers to think about their own attitudes.

“A speed reduction is important. I certainly wouldn’t be paying someone to design signs about jaywalking,” he said.

“This sign just screams to me zero vision,” said Coreen Shewfelt, another friend of Finkelman’s.

“Why can’t we think of creative solutions?” she asked, referencin­g a Swedish campaign that photograph­s the licence plates of drivers who are not speeding, entering them into a lottery to win the fines paid by those who do speed.

Gerry Shimko, head of the city’s office of traffic safety, said the jaywalking signs are part of a larger education campaign that includes 60 bus ads asking drivers to yield to pedestrian­s.

As for where the signs were placed, “there’s no intention of blaming victims,” he said.

Coun. Bev Esslinger, who leads council’s traffic safety initiative with Coun. Dave Loken, said Edmonton has done more work around schools zones and is preparing structural changes to improve road safety.

Improvemen­ts at 12 schools are expected before the new school year.

“Nobody is saying (the antijaywal­king) campaign is key. It’s just part of the bigger strategy,” she said.

Progress will be slow because changing attitudes is most important, Loken said.

“It’s a generation­al change we’re trying to implement.”

 ?? ED KAISER ?? An anti-jaywalking sign was installed on Whyte Avenue near 101 Street. Two people were killed at this location while crossing the road legally.
ED KAISER An anti-jaywalking sign was installed on Whyte Avenue near 101 Street. Two people were killed at this location while crossing the road legally.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada