Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) and CAA Manitoba partnered up to study traffic violations at lit crosswalks last week.
The safety assessment was conducted before students go on spring break, and looked at five specific locations with heavy traffic volumes — several of which were near schools.
The morning and afternoon observation periods showed nearly 600 pedestrians using the crosswalks and 359 traffic violations.
No tickets were issued, but police kept an eye on how many incidents were spotted.
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Observers said pedestrians and drivers all need to take better care when it comes to safety.
CAA Manitoba’s Liz Kulyk said often, the pedestrian-activated lights gave kids crossing the street a false sense of security.
“What you saw the kids doing was hitting the button, not skipping a beat, not looking and continuing to cross,” she said. “They were putting their lives in the hands of the cars.”
“What we saw the cars doing was unfortunate — there was very few cars that came to a complete stop,” Kulyk continued.
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In one specific location, at Broadway Avenue and Furby Street, cars often didn’t give way to pedestrians — even when the flashing lights had been activated.
Insp. Gord Spado of the WPS traffic division said this study was valuable for helping quantify traffic infractions on a regular basis.
“The goal is to have zero fatalities on roadways resulting from traffic collisions,” he said. “Every year in Winnipeg, a large percentage of our serious collision investigations involve pedestrians.”
Spado reminded drivers that school zone speed limits remain in effect during spring break and other holidays.
READ MORE: Roadside suspensions on the way for Manitobans caught texting and driving
During last Tuesday’s study, 30 pedestrians were spotted on their phones while crossing the road. Another 22 people didn’t press the button to activate the crosswalk lights before crossing, and 19 individuals jaywalked.
When it came to drivers, 88 cars didn’t stop for the lights and another 77 stopped after they had already driven across part of the crosswalk.
WATCH: Insp. Gord Spado offers safety tips ahead of Spring Break
Spado noted there were a number of drivers multitasking behind the wheel, including one woman putting on makeup while driving and someone driving while smoking.
He said he wants to see tougher penalties for distracted driving — not just for people using phones while driving.
“Dogs on people’s laps, eating, drinking, putting on makeup, shaving, brushing your teeth, I’ve seen all of those.”
Right now, getting caught doing any of the above activities wouldn’t net you a penalty for distracted driving according to Spado. A $204 fine and five demerit points on your license only applies to cell phone use, for now.
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While a growing number of vehicles come with hands-free communication options, like Bluetooth, Kulyk noted that doesn’t always mean drivers are focused on the roads.
“Hands-free is not distraction-free,” she said.
CAA assessment results: