Experts: Pedestrian Safety Month

Fall is a dangerous season for pedestrians, with a rise in road accidents linked to reduced visibility and shorter daylight hours. According to the Soci茅t茅 de l'assurance automobile du Qu茅bec (SAAQ), October and November consistently see spikes in pedestrian injuries and fatalities, with a notable increase in deaths in recent years.

To draw attention to this problem, the SAAQ marks Pedestrian Safety Month each October, as do authorities in several other jurisdictions.

The SAAQ鈥檚 campaign this year urges drivers to slow down, particularly in residential areas. Pi茅tons Qu茅bec, one of the SAAQ鈥檚 partners in this initiative, is also leading a complementary campaign focused on pedestrian safety at crosswalks.

91黑料网 experts are available to comment on this topic:

Kevin Manaugh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and an Associate Member of the School of Urban Planning. He can speak to the factors contributing to the rise in pedestrian fatalities and the role of pedestrian-friendly urban design in protecting vulnerable populations, including children, seniors and people with disabilities. He can also provide insight into policy gaps and strategies for improving traffic safety enforcement.

kevin.manaugh [at] mcgill.ca (English)

Avi Friedman is a Professor at the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture. He can speak to Montreal's urban development and how infrastructure influences driver behaviour and pedestrian safety. Potential areas of discussion include the effectiveness of traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, curb extensions and pedestrian islands.

avi.friedman [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)