(JESSICA WALLACE / iNFOnews.ca)
May 23, 2013 - 4:28 PM
Pedestrian injuries have plagued headlines in Kamloops lately - and the people with power have been paying attention.
"There was four out of eight fatalities in the city last year that were pedestrians," said Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Savage. "We've had a significant number of people who have been hit in crosswalks."
The City of Kamloops, Kamloops RCMP, ICBC and Trauma Services at the Royal Inland Hospital have partnered up to tackle the problem from all angles with a new safety campaign called 'Get Your Glow on!'
Savage said enhanced enforcement and infrastructure aren't enough.
"It's incumbent to put a program in place that the public can take advantage of and do their part to enhance their own safety," Savage said. "This is part of the education component."
While road safety is a shared responsibility, the campaign encourages road users such as pedestrians and cyclists to make themselves more visible by wearing brightly coloured clothing and reflective apparel.
Volunteers and RCMP members will be out in the community in the coming months giving out tips and reflective items to promote road safety.
Savage also encouraged extra awareness by all road users - by both briefly unplugging and paying extra attention in poorly lit conditions.
"You're looking at a pedestrian problem across the province," Savage said. "But there was a spike in pedestrian-related injuries and fatalities (in Kamloops.)"
To contact a reporter for this story, email: jwallace@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 319-7494.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013