Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is urgently reminding drivers in Portage la Prairie and across the province about the severe dangers and legal consequences of passing vehicles stopped for pedestrians at crosswalks.
This warning follows concerning anecdotal reports and social media observations highlighting a risky behaviour that puts vulnerable road users at significant risk of injury or death.
Tara Seel, Media and Public Relations Lead with MPI, explains that the core issue stems from drivers attempting to pass vehicles stopped at unmarked crosswalks.
"What we've been hearing and seeing on social media is cars stopping to let those pedestrians cross at the unmarked crosswalks," she says, "But other cars maybe don't see the pedestrians or are getting very impatient and they try and pass those vehicles that are stopped for pedestrians, causing collisions or near collisions to occur."
She emphasizes that Manitoba law recognizes both marked and unmarked crosswalks – the latter existing wherever a sidewalk intersects a road.
An illegal act that can have grave consequences
Seel stresses that this action is not only dangerous but also explicitly illegal.
She stresses that, "ultimately, you never have time to pass a pedestrian or to pass a car that's waiting for a pedestrian, and it's illegal to even try. If you pass a vehicle that's stopped for a pedestrian and you pass them, that is an illegal act."
Passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian constitutes a traffic violation under Manitoba's Highway Traffic Act.
Shared road, shared responsibility
While drivers bear significant responsibility, Seel clarifies that safety requires focus from everyone, noting, "This is why you have to be so focused when you're either a driver or a more vulnerable road user, such as a pedestrian; everyone needs to be focused on the road."
Pedestrians must ensure their path is clear before crossing, avoiding distractions like phones. Meanwhile, drivers approaching areas where pedestrians could cross, like intersections or sidewalk continuations, must slow down and stay alert.
"Pedestrians are the more vulnerable users and stand to be far more injured and maybe even killed by a vehicle striking them. So it is the responsibility of all parties, but those driving vehicles need to slow down, stay focused on the road, and watch for other vehicles as well as those vulnerable road users," Seel advises.
Local relevance in Portage la Prairie
The warning holds particular relevance for Portage la Prairie. Seel, drawing on personal experience from her time living in the city, highlights the local risk, saying, "As someone who used to live in Portage la Prairie, I can speak from personal experience when I say that there were numerous instances where I was almost struck by vehicles while crossing unmarked crosswalks."
She identifies areas like schools and playgrounds as critical zones requiring extra caution due to the presence of children, who may be less safety-conscious, and that the city's location can also mean there are less drivers familiar with specific areas, noting, "In Portage, since it's a city on the Trans-Canada highway, there's a lot of non-local traffic that also comes through Portage la Prairie who may not be familiar with where those unmarked intersections are necessarily."
Seel concludes with an often overlooked safety reminder when parking: "There is no parking or stopping within 3 meters of a crosswalk, whether that's marked or unmarked. So just keep that in mind as well for safety."
MPI urges all road users to prioritize vigilance and respect the rules to prevent tragedies.
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