Calls for improved road safety following deadly crash on UBC campus
As students and staff at the University of British Columbia mourn the untimely deaths of two 18-year-old students, some are calling for safety improvements to roads in and around the Vancouver campus.
Around 1:45 am on Sunday, a vehicle veered off of Northwest Marine Drive near the UBC Botanical Garden and onto the sidewalk, striking and killing a male and a female. The students were pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials continue to investigate what might have caused the crash, however, on campus, there’s already speculation.
“I don’t have a solution, but I do know what’s wrong,” said Finn Mckay, a first-year student living in the dorms next to the crash site. He’s convinced excessive speeding was a contributing factor to the tragic crash.
“We do hear people drag racing on (this road) relatively consistently, every few nights,” explained Mckay.
“On this road especially, there should be speed bumps or more lighting.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Dr. Benjamin Cheung, a psychology professor at the school. In 2011 Cheung witnessed a deadly motorcycle crash down the road from this most recent collision. A 27-year-old motorcyclist died after colliding with a minivan. At the time, witnesses said the motorcycle was speeding just before the crash.
“I still get very emotional even talking and thinking about it,” Cheung said. He believes the RCMP’s UBC detachment does a good job deterring most speeders with road blocks and other enforcement measures, but says it’s impossible to stop everyone from obeying the posted speed limits.
“I don’t know exactly what caused this accident to happen, but speed has genuinely been a concern at that particular bend,” Cheung said.
In a video posted online, UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Santa J. Ono says the school is working with police and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to “review the circumstances of this tragedy and to determine appropriate measures to reduce the risk of further incidents.”
Cole Evans, President of the UBC Alma Mater Society, a non-profit group offering student-to-student services, chose not to speculate on what caused the crash. Instead, the AMS is focused on offering support services for grieving students.
“If there is a discovery (that) there might need to be some safety improvements made, our job is to advocate for students and you can be assured we’ll be at the forefront of that advocacy,” said Evans.
Meanwhile, a roadside memorial continues to grow, with students dropping off cards and flowers as they try to make sense of a tragic loss.
“I’ve been very tired. I’ve had trouble sleeping. It’s been very sombre, especially if you’re living in one of the buildings here.”
Following the crash, the driver was arrested and released, after being treated for minor injuries. The 21-year-old Vancouver resident is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.