“Why is the city so obsessed with these speed limits? I need to get places.”
That’s actually part of an email from a Burnaby driver who wrote in earlier this year when the City of Burnaby extended the hours for school zone speed limits until well into the evening.
Signs had barely gone up in local schools zones and I was already getting a flurry of entitled, whiny responses from drivers who clutched their pearls over having to slow down.
I remember these emails every time another person dies while walking in Burnaby. I had just barely finished writing about one person getting killed after a driver lost control and slammed into him on Duthie Avenue in a school zone when another pedestrian was hit.
At the time, the pedestrian was sent to hospital with serious injuries.
Earlier this week, however, the 77-year-old pedestrian died of their injuries. More fatalities on city roads that shouldn’t see this kind of carnage. The senior who died was in a crosswalk – where they should have been safe.
This wasn’t on a busy road like Canada Way or Lougheed Highway, this was Grange Street at Barker Avenue.
And, again, they were in a crosswalk. Drivers need to watch what they are doing and slow the heck down. I’m tired of the complaining about speed limits. Please, for the love of everything, leave 10 minutes early so you aren’t rushing.
Police are now looking for witnesses or dashcam video that might have captured the July 18 crash that killed this senior.
Officers came upon the scene just after 5 p.m., according to Burnaby RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mike Kalanj.
He said witnesses have told police the man was in a crosswalk on Grange Street at Barker Avenue when he was hit by a car travelling westbound on Grange.
The pedestrian was sent to hospital but police confirmed on Tuesday morning that the senior has since died.
“Our deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of the victim,” said Kalanj, in a statement. “We are once again asking for anyone who may have witnessed this collision or have dashcam video to please come forward.”
The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and continues to cooperate with the investigation, police said.
The intersection is equipped with traffic lights, but it’s unclear whether they had been activated at the time of the crash, according to Kalanj.
Police are now asking anyone who witnessed the collision or might have dashcam video of it to contact Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
