‘Safety Is a Shared Responsibility,’ Says Traffic Officer Whose Tips Are Aimed 100% at Pedestrians and Cyclists
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A local police officer is reminding road users that “safety is a shared responsibility,” Dumb Runner has learned, while offering several bits of advice aimed totally at pedestrians and cyclists.
“When it comes to traffic safety, we all have a role to play,” said Ivan Doroschuk, a 12-year veteran with the police department’s traffic division. “That’s true whether you’re walking, running, rolling, or biking.”
Doroschuk’s comments, which followed a crash in which a speeding and distracted driver hit and severely injured a local runner, included tips like wearing bright and reflective clothing, using lights, crossing only at marked crosswalks, and being “hypervigilant” as they watch for vehicles.
The victim of the recent crash, a 48-year-old mother of four, was doing all of those things when the driver hit her—a fact that Doroschuk left unmentioned.
“As we saw in this most recent accident, in which a jogger was hit by a vehicle, you really cannot be too safe,” he said, noting that the driver in that crash remained at the scene.
“I urge everyone on our streets and roads—joggers, walkers, whatever—to do their part to keep things safe,” Doroschuk said. “One driver traumatized by hitting a pedestrian is one too many,”
Reached for additional comment, Doroschuk confirmed that he is not a runner himself. He also doesn’t bike and rarely even walks, preferring to drive virtually everywhere he needs to go.
“It’s scary out there!” he said, laughing. “I feel much safer in my truck.”
