At the September 24 meeting of the TTC board, Walk Toronto’s Lee Scott spoke in favour of a motion by councillor Josh Matlow to implement automated (camera) ticketing for motorists who drive by open streetcar doors (item 15; councillor Dianne Saxe also moved a similar motion). Here is her deputation:
Good afternoon. Thank you for this opportunity to speak.
My name is Lee Scott. I am a member of the Walk Toronto Steering Committee and a resident living 50 m from the 507 streetcar stop at First Street and Lake Shore Blvd W in Ward 3, New Toronto.
Just this morning at 7am, as I waited in my car for a green light on northbound First Street at Lakeshore Blvd West, I saw what is almost a daily occurrence … the driver of an SUV passing the open doors of the westbound streetcar that had stopped for passengers at Dwight Avenue. The operator of the streetcar honked repeatedly as the driver of the vehicle continued westbound. Honking is currently the only option of the streetcar operator … a meaningless effort that will not help anyone in the path of that vehicle.
Walk Toronto urges the board to accept this motion to use cameras installed in streetcars to record and ticket drivers who drive by the open doors as an absolute minimum action that can be taken to fine and educate drivers to the risk of severe injury and death they pose to the pedestrians boarding and exiting the streetcar.
Each person riding in a streetcar is repeatedly reminded by recorded message just before the doors open to look right for “traffic.” Traffic is actually the driver of a vehicle that could inflict severe harm or even death. This is just another example of how the most vulnerable road user must be in a constant state of high vigilance when trying to navigate the city.
Also, it is important to remember, especially because we often forget, that there could be pedestrians waiting at the curb to step out to the road to board the incoming streetcar. There is no automated message at the streetcar stop reminding a person to look left. Meanwhile, there are drivers of vehicles who are oblivious to these pedestrians waiting at the curb. These drivers attempt to speed past the streetcar before the red lights at the doors begin to flash. Several years ago, I witnessed this exact horrifying scenario … a pedestrian stepped out on the curb at Kipling and Lakeshore Blvd West just before the flashing lights had been turned on. It was dark and rainy. That person was violently struck and thrown to the pavement by a driver racing past the streetcar.
Walk Toronto sees the automated camera solution as a reactive tool that will begin an education process for drivers but it is just that, reactive. We would like to take this opportunity to request that the TTC board consider even more proactive solutions to avoiding pedestrian injury and death … possibly turning on flashing lights before the streetcar has come to a stop.
It is raining today and we are entering the dark season. This is the time of year when pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are at even greater risk getting on and off the streetcar. Walk Toronto urges the board to accept this motion as a vital first step in making the people boarding and exiting streetcars safer.
Thank you.
