Elderly pedestrian killed at crosswalk

Markham death comes amid wave of outrage over fatalities in GTA

A pedestrian has been killed in Markham after a collision at McCowan Rd. and Steeles Ave. Monday morning, Toronto police said.

Toronto police said an elderly person was hit by a truck on the north side of Steeles Ave, the boundary between Toronto and Markham, adding that York Region police are investig gating.

York police said the incident occurred around11:15 a.m. as the pedestrian was trying to use the crosswalk to cross McCowan Rd. on the north side of Steeles Ave.

In a tweet, York police said the intersection would remain closed for some time.

York police said the driver remained at the scene of the incident.

The death comes amid a wave of outrage over pedestrian and cyclist deaths in the GTA.

By the Star’s count, 18 pedestrians and four cyclists have been killed in Toronto this year.

Traffic death numbers compiled by the Star are higher than the official police count. That’s in part because Toronto police figures for traffic fatalities don’t include deadly collisions that happen on private property, such as in the parking lots of apartment buildings or malls, or on provincial 400-series highways within Toronto, which are the jurisdiction of the Ontario Provincial Police.

Neither tally includes victims of homicide, such as those killed in the Yonge St. van rampage.

The city unveiled Vision Zero — a plan to reduce traffic deaths to zero by 2021 — a little more than two years ago. Since that date, 93 pedestrians or cyclists have died on the streets of Toronto, according to data compiled by police and the Toronto Star.

Last week, a chorus of experts and advocates called for stronger action against traffic deaths.