More pedestrian collisions around campus in 2011

Waterloo region’s annual collision report indicates an increase in the number of pedestrians involved in collisions at intersections surrounding Wilfrid Laurier University since 2009.

Although the region of Waterloo’s 2011 data only provides information about two recorded collisions (Jan. 10 involving six pedestrians and March 23 involving one pedestrian), reports from The Cord bring the total collisions this year to six.

Other pedestrian collisions include a collision with a truck and student rollerblading at King and University on Sept. 14, a taxi clipping a female pedestrian on Oct. 25, a car swerving into the Monday night lineup at Phil’s Grandson’s Place on Oct. 31 sending two students to hospital, hitting an estimated ten to 15 people in total and a Mercedes clipping a pedestrian crossing King Street across from the Career Centre making the total number of pedestrians struck around the university to approximately 20 to 25 people.

Although there were also six recorded collisions in both 2009 and 2010, each collision only involved one pedestrian bringing the combined total from 2009 and 2010 to 12, less than half the number of 2011’s pedestrian strikings.

The report looks at eleven signalized locations around campus situated on King Street, University Avenue and Albert Street.

Although this does not include collisions outside of intersections on these streets, manager of transportation engineering Bob Henderson asserts that these intersections are where the most pedestrian collisions occur.