The death of a 15-year-old girl in a crash at the bottom of Cariboo Hill in Burnaby has highlighted longstanding concerns about an unlit crosswalk there, according to neighbours.
“It bothers me, especially because people don’t tend to want to do anything about it,” said Pamela Scanlon, who has used the crossing for nine years to get to a bus stop across Cariboo Road from her co-op.
“I know that the people here have been trying to get some lights and stuff put on for a long, long time, but it keeps being denied.”
Cariboo Road was shut down in both directions for about seven hours Wednesday morning after the girl – believed to be an international student not attending Burnaby schools – was hit and killed near the crosswalk at about 7:10 a.m.
Burnaby RCMP have said it’s too early to say what caused the crash but the driver of the car involved is cooperating with police.
Scanlon and her husband both use the crosswalk daily and have both had a number of close calls on it.
“One time for me personally, I was waiting there to cross over on this side. A guy stopped and the car behind was going too fast and knew he couldn’t stop and went right up on the pavement and just missed me,” she said.
Scanlon said people drive too fast down the hill and few stop for waiting pedestrians.
“It’s just not very well lit,” she said.
Police responded to three other crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists hit by vehicles Wednesday, and part of Cariboo Road was shut down again on Thursday morning at about 9:10 a.m. after a cyclist was hit near the same spot where the 15-year-old girl was killed.
The cyclist was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“As highlighted in relation to yesterday’s fatal collision, police see a spike in collisions in the fall and winter months because of the shorter daylight hours and poor weather,” stated a police press release Thursday.
Mounties are urging pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to stay alert in low light and wet weather conditions and recommending pedestrians wear reflective clothing, use crosswalks and intersections, and make eye contact with drivers when crossing the street.
Pedestrians shouldn’t assume drivers have seen them, according to police.
“Make sure the vehicle is going to stop before stepping out onto the roadway,” states the release.
Anyone who witnessed Wednesday’s fatal collision is asked to contact the Burnaby RCMP traffic services at 604-646-9999.
