It is the common practice observed worldwide that people on foot use crosswalk when crossing the street. This is done on daily basis by pedestrians. But recently, a new rule is implemented in BC for walkers to pay fine in the time following red hand start flashing the lights. Brace yourself!

According to the BC Motor Vehicle Act, “when the word ‘wait,’ the words ‘don’t walk,’ or an outline of a raised hand are exhibited at an intersection or at a place other than an intersection by a pedestrian traffic control signal… a pedestrian must not enter the roadway.”

Violating the rule can put you in trouble. Stay cautious!

According to BS RCMP, the charges for breaching the law cost around $109. It is difficult to pay by those who are out of pocket.

Vancouver Police Const. Jason Doucette reported that citizens in Vancouver found it difficult back in 2017 to follow the rule and 400 tickets were send out to them for violating the rule.

But now, this year, the figure is 90.

“The VPD is dedicated to ensuring our roads are safe for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers,” said Doucette. “Road safety is a shared responsibility and regardless of the time of day, it’s very important that we all follow the rules.”

Awareness is very important to guide and educate the people. For this reason, Doucette said the VPD has a four-person team within the Traffic Enforcement Unit that is devoted to a task or purpose to guide the walkers about this rule.

“These four officers are typically deployed on mountain bikes and our electric motorcycles,” he said.

This rule is implemented to save the life of the people and to keep them safe from any mishap.

“This is for the safety of all road users, including pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists,” said Doucette. “We had six fatal pedestrian collisions in 2017, and three so far in 2018.”

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