A BC Highway camera recorded emergency personnel surrounding a teenage girl laying at the side of Highway 4 Thursday morning.
A vehicle struck her while in the crosswalk directly in front of Edward Milne Community School, according to the Sooke School District.
Student William Kempster was walking to school when he came upon the scene.
“When I walked up to school this morning, all I saw was the girl laying there,” Kempster said.
The teen was taken to Victoria General Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Manseau said investigators are trying to determine what happened.
“The investigators are still trying to determine if the student that was struck was in the crosswalk at the time,” Manseau said.
The crash happened during the morning rush hour along Highway 14. Kempster said it’s a difficult road to cross.
“I can tell you, I guess, it’s scary to cross the street,” Kempster said.
Drivers are required to slow down to 30 kilometres an hour when students are on the highway, within the school zone. Some Sooke schools on Highway 14 have crossing guards, but not the high school, according to Sooke School District Superintendent Scott Stinson.
“So we are always concerned about safe routes to and from school for our schools. And this one is particularly challenging for us,” Stinson said.
Pedestrians are at risk in the fall when it’s dark, and raining, even in crosswalks. In November, a 24-year old woman suffered serious injuries crossing a road at Bruce Avenue in south Nanaimo. In March of 2016, a 55-year-old woman struck by this pickup truck in the same crosswalk later died of her injuries.
READ MORE: Crosswalk needs safety improvements say Nanaimo residents
According to ICBC, the five year average of crashes involving pedestrians across BC is 2,500. On Vancouver Island, from 2013-2017, there were 340 crashes involved a pedestrian with seven fatalities.
“At this time the investigation is still ongoing. We’re not sure if we are going to be completing charges on the matter,” Manseau said.
School District 62 dispatched its Critical Incident Team to Edward Milne School to work with staff and students.
Visit here for more information on pedestrian safety: https://www.icbc.com/road-safety/sharing/pedestrian-safety/Pages/Default.aspx
Mary Griffin
