Dashcam video of a jaywalker being hit by a bus in downtown Vancouver has prompted a reminder to pedestrians about the importance of looking both ways before crossing the street.
The YouTube video shows a woman trying to run across Granville Street during rush hour Wednesday evening, only to be struck by an articulated bus and knocked to the ground.
Fortunately, she didn't suffer serious injuries, but it could have ended much worse.
Const. Jason Doucette of the Vancouver Police Department said even when pedestrians are crossing the street legally, they need to stay alert and watch for danger.
"If you're walking around with noise-cancelling headphones on, you're not going to be aware of your surroundings," Doucette said. "You could be in the right-of-way at a green light going through a crosswalk, you still have the responsibility to look side-to-side and make sure it's safe to proceed."
Cyclists and drivers also need to obey the rules of the road, of course, but having the right-of-way can't shield a pedestrian from a potentially fatal injury.
"Unfortunately last year in 2017 we had six pedestrians who died of collisions with vehicles, and so far this year we've had four," Doucette said. "That's just too many."
TransLink said pedestrian crashes can also have a serious impact on the safety and mental well-being of drivers. It currently offers a program to provide crisis counselling at the scene after bus drivers are involved in serious accidents.
The video of Wednesday's crash shows the driver apparently managed to hit the brakes right before the collision, despite having almost no time to react.
According to Transit Police, the jaywalker who was struck initially didn't even want medical attention, but paramedics convinced her to go to hospital. She was checked out and released the same day.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Ben Miljure
