HALIFAX – Police officers handed out reflective armbands to pedestrians in the Halifax area Tuesday in a bid to reduce the number of crosswalk accidents in the city.
“We’re handing these out in hopes that folks will accept them willingly and wear them willingly at night or even during the day,” said Sgt. David Reynolds of the Halifax Regional Police traffic unit.
RCMP and Halifax Regional Police officers were at marked crosswalks in busy locations, including Spring Garden Road, handing out about 3,000 armbands. The yellow reflective velcro bands bear the phrase “I see you. Do you see me?”
It’s the first time police have handed out reflective gear to the public, and it was a direct response to a rash of recent collisions.
“We’re trying everything we can to reduce incidents like the ones we’ve had over the past few months. We’ll try programs like this, we’ll try education, we’ll do the enforcement piece, we’ll do whatever it takes,” said Reynolds.
There have been at least 54 pedestrian-vehicle incidents in the city since Jan. 1. Fifty-one of those were reported by Halifax Regional Police, while the remaining three were handled by the Halifax RCMP.
Most recently, a 17-year-old girl pushing a baby stroller was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Lacewood Drive and Willett Street on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
Police said she was in a marked crosswalk, however, she was crossing against the light and the vehicle had the right of way. No tickets have been issued as the investigation continues.
In February, Halifax Regional Council voted to put in zebra markings at all uncontrolled, marked crosswalks in the municipality.
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