Driver tips for pedestrian safety in winter

The Greater Sudbury Police is continuing its efforts to raise awareness for pedestrian safety by warning of the danger of the roads during the winter.

After a mild start to the winter the cold weather has finally descended on Sudbury, with freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall hitting the city since last weekend. Winter storms and heavy Alberta Clippers are expected to continue this weekend, and the police say the conditions are making driving hazardous.

With dangerous roads there is typically a higher rate of pedestrian injuries as vehicles are more likely to skid off the road. The Greater Sudbury Police says that drivers should take time before a journey to wipe and scrape any snow and ice on windows, highlighting that all windows should be cleared to give the driver and unobstructed view.

Roads are typically plowed and kept clean, but sidewalks are not always maintained as much and can become inaccessible to pedestrians. A common sight in winter is to see members of the public leaving sidewalks to walk down the sides of road, so drivers should pay extra attention for pedestrians who have left the obstructed sidewalk.

Not all the advice being offered is targeted to drivers, with the police force saying that the use of crosswalks it doubly important in winter. Snowbanks are becoming higher, so pedestrians should avoid climbing them as drivers are unlikely to see someone coming down the other side of a steep bank.

The advice is being offered as part of a year-long initiative by the Greater Sudbury Police to raise awareness about pedestrian safety after it was alarmed by the number of incidents over the Holiday Season.