Regina police ticket 69 drivers amid spike in pedestrian crashes

A total of 69 drivers in Regina were ticketed during a recent policing project tied to a spike in pedestrian crashes.

During an appearance on The Evan Bray Show on Thursday, Regina police chief Lorilee Davies said the project was launched after a recent string of pedestrian crashes. According to the Regina Police Service, the city saw 10 crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians, cyclists or e-bike riders over the 10 days between Sept. 18 and Monday, leading to one death and several injuries.

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According to Davies, two more collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists happened on Thursday morning, bringing the total to 12 accidents in roughly two weeks.

Davies said the project’s results were concerning.

Listen to the full interview with Davies:

She said traffic officers were stationed at an intersection in the city with flashing red pedestrian lights for three hours. During that time, they issued 28 tickets to drivers who failed to stop for the red light.

Davies said that number is “incredible to me in that short time span.”

For the police chief, even more concerning was how drivers acted in school zones. According to Davies, traffic officers issued 41 speeding tickets in one school zone during the project.

She noted the serious implications of hitting a pedestrian in a school zone, saying she wants to encourage drivers to slow down.

It’s not just those behind the wheel who need to smarten up, Davies noted.

“Pedestrians are expected to also follow the rules of the road,” she said, adding that the police force wants to encourage pedestrians and cyclists to exercise caution when crossing streets.

Even though Regina doesn’t have a jaywalking bylaw, Davies said pedestrians aren’t immune to tickets, noting that police can issue them under the Traffic Safety Act.

Multiple calls for caution

Davies’ appearance on The Evan Bray Show marked the third time in less than a week that the Regina Police Service has urged motorists to drive with caution.

On Sept. 25, the organization said it responded to eight collisions in seven days. One of those accidents was fatal, involving a 34-year-old man riding an e-bike. At the time, police said evidence indicates the cyclist collided with a vehicle as it turned into a parking lot.

Then, on Sept. 28, police renewed their safety-first message after additional accidents, saying there’s no pattern to the recent collisions, and that crashes have happened in residential areas and at busy intersections.

–with files from The Evan Bray Show