Eglinton Avenue is the deadliest street in Toronto when it comes to pedestrian deaths, police say.
Since the start of 2016, seven pedestrians have been struck and killed by vehicles on Eglinton Avenue between Dufferin Street in the west and Midland Avenue in the east.
“Four collisions were pedestrians who stepped out mid-block and three were a turning movement that caused the collision,” said Toronto police traffic services Const. Clint Stibbe.
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Area residents who spoke with Global News said Eglinton Avenue can be a tricky road to cross because it expands to six lanes and it often leaves pedestrians racing against the clock to get to the other side.
“One time I was crossing and it was my right of way and a car almost hit me,” said one woman crossing at Midland Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East.
Another man crossing at the same intersection said near-misses between cars and pedestrians are a common sight.
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“I’ve seen people get hit by cars, people get run over by cars,” said the man.
At Midland Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East alone, there have been two pedestrian fatalities including a construction worker who was killed on Oct. 12. A makeshift memorial remains at the TTC bus stop where the incident took place.
Residents along Eglinton Avenue said the problem is that there aren’t enough crosswalks between intersections, prompting some people to try their luck and jaywalk.
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Toronto police said the onus is not only on drivers, but on pedestrians too.
“Pedestrians have to make sure they’re crossing at proper crosswalks where it’s lighted and controlled,” said Stibbe.
The City of Toronto said it conducts a road safety audit every year on stretches of roads where there are a high number of fatalities and officials then come up with strategies to make the area safer.