Pedestrian Safety

August 01, 2025

Waterloo Region Police Service reported 11 road fatalities, 6 of those were pedestrians in 2012.

Due to the increase in recent decades of private motorized transport, pedestrians are today at an increased risk of death, injury and disability.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the second UN Global Road Safety Week, to be held 6-12 May 2013, offering a unique opportunity to draw attention to the issue of pedestrian safety. We are all pedestrians: on any given day, we choose to walk to and from our various destinations or – at a minimum – we begin and end most trips on foot. Walking requires no fare, no fuel, no license and no registration. It is integral to the liveability of our communities.

Much can be done to make our world more walkable by providing safe, reliable and accessible facilities for all pedestrians.

  • There is no single measure to adequately address the range of risks to pedestrians across various settings. Some of the most effective are:
  • Managing vehicle speeds. Local municipalities have reduced speeds in school zones
  • Separating pedestrians from other traffic by sidewalks and crosswalks
  • Increasing the visibility of pedestrians. Pedestrians are encouraged to wear reflective materials on their clothing and gear
  • Ensuring the responsible behaviour of all road users

Enacting appropriate laws around such measures, enhancing enforcement and ensuring links with other modes of transport can save lives.

Guaranteeing the safety of pedestrians will encourage walking which improves health.

Walking reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, dementia, depression and obesity. As travel by motor vehicles is reduced, there are also declines in air and noise pollution, which also positively impact on health. Walking can make us healthier, fitter and leaner, and should become a safe, convenient and pleasant option for many trips.

Media contact: Colleen Cooper, Public Health Nurse, Injury Prevention Program, ccooper@regionofwaterloo.ca or 519 883-2004 ext 5324.

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Visit the WHO website at http://www.who.int/roadsafety/en/

Visit our website: http://chd.region.waterloo.on.ca/en/healthyLivingHealthProtection/pedestriansafety.asp