A 63-year-old woman was killed after being struck by a SUV in Leaside Thursday night.
The incident happened shortly after 7 p.m. near the area of Eglinton Avenue and Hanna Road.
Police said the woman was crossing in the middle of the road when she was hit.
“What we have is a person standing on the roadway in the dark, the driving facing oncoming lights, all the background, including pedestrians, become invisible,” Const. Clint Stibbe said. “When you’re staring into the lights, you can’t see the shadows.”
Toronto paramedics said the woman was found without vital signs and was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Police said the vehicle remained at the scene.
READ MORE: Why do Toronto pedestrian accidents peak at the end of November?
The incident was one of five pedestrian-involved collisions in Toronto Thursday evening.
Police say the changing weather conditions, the shortening of the days and less daylight can contribute to collisions but pedestrians, motorists and cyclist must also be aware of their surroundings at all times.
“Road conditions, weather conditions, they are part of the problem. But a decision that a driver or pedestrian or even cyclists make, that in most cases is a mistake, which results in collisions,” Stibbe said.
“Mid part of September to mid part of December, we actually see every month the pedestrian collision numbers start to climb. November being the worst month of the year.”
-Cindy Pom contributed to this report