Last year 47% of traffic fatalities in Surrey involved a pedestrian or a cyclist, with the majority of them involving jaywalking. As citizens, we are responsible for safely sharing our roads together and making smart decisions. As a pedestrian, we have a particular responsibility to follow the rules and regulations put in place to ensure our safety.

 

On March 1, 2014, the Surrey RCMP, in partnership with ICBC, launched a two month long enforcement and educational campaign on pedestrian safety, called “Just Don’t Jaywalk”. This campaign will focus on reminding pedestrians how to be safer in their travels and will also target jaywalkers with enforcement action.

 

Surrey RCMP Traffic Services, General Duty and Auxiliary Constables will be targeting areas at high risk for pedestrian involved traffic accidents in Surrey. Pedestrian safety tip cards in English and Punjabi will be handed out to the public, a social media campaign using the hashtag #JustDon’tJaywalk will be launched this week, and RCMP officers will be issuing violation tickets to pedestrians when applicable.

 

Violations for pedestrians include:

  • Failure to obey traffic control device ($121 fine)
  • Entering a roadway when it is not safe ($109 fine)
  • Entering an intersection on a red light ($109 fine)
  • Disobeying pedestrian control signal ($109 fine)
  • Failure to use crosswalk ($109 fine)
  • Failure to yield to vehicle when not in crosswalk ($109 fine)
  • Failure to use sidewalk ($109 fine)

 

“With our ‘Just Don’t Jaywalk’ campaign, we are trying to change the casual attitude we see some pedestrians display towards jaywalking,” says Cpl. Bert Paquet of Surrey RCMP. “When pedestrians don’t use crosswalks, they are taking chances on our roadways. The extra minute it takes to find a safe intersection to cross the road might very well save your life.”

 

“As we approach spring time, more pedestrians will soon be on our roads,” said Karen Klein, ICBC road safety coordinator. “As a pedestrian, keep your full attention on what’s happening around you and always make eye contact with drivers. In wet or dark conditions, make sure you’re visible to drivers by using reflective gear and always cross at designated crosswalks – never mid-block. Drivers also have a particular responsibility to keep pedestrians safe and should always be looking out for them – especially when visibility is poor, at intersections and transit stops.”

 

For more information on road safety and pedestrian safety tips, please go to http://icbc.com/road-safety/drivers-passengers/pedestrian-children.pdf. Additional Road Safety tips can also be found at www.surrey.rcmp.ca at the bottom of the screen under the heading “Protecting Yourself”.