A child is recovering in hospital after being struck by a vehicle in a marked crosswalk on Shelbourne Street on Tuesday morning.
At around 7:20 a.m. police responded to a call of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle on Shelbourne Street at San Juan Avenue in Saanich.
Once police arrived, they learned the pedestrian was a child who was on their way to school when they were struck at a marked crosswalk by a southbound vehicle.
Police say the child was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to police the driver remained on scene and cooperated with officers who were on the scene.
Saanich Police believe after an early analysis of the scene that neither speed nor impairment were contributing factors in this incident.
“The speed of the vehicle, which we believe was being driven under the speed limit, limited the severity of the injuries sustained by the child,” said Constable Markus Anastasiades.
“This time of year we do see an uptick in the number of collisions involving pedestrians, so the timing of this incident is, unfortunately, a good reminder to all road users to be extra vigilant when approaching intersections.”
Police recommend driving with extra caution at marked crosswalks and intersections as well as having windshield wiper blades in good condition to avoid incidents such as this.
According to police, pedestrians and cyclists can enhance the chances of being seen by drivers by wearing lighter or reflective clothing and by using extra caution when in intersections or crosswalks.
Police say it is a good idea to take the time to make eye contact with drivers coming to a stop at an intersection or crosswalk.
