The shortest days of the year can also be some of the most dangerous for pedestrians, according to recent accident figures released by the province.

There have been 13 pedestrian fatalities across B.C. in the past six weeks, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Locally, the Victoria Police Department saw an extraordinary day last week (Dec. 4), when four pedestrians were struck by vehicles.

One of those incidents left a 51-year-old man with a broken femur and pelvis, after he was hit by a pickup truck as he used a marked crosswalk on Fort Street near Stanley Avenue.

B次元官网网址淭he research shows clearly that we are just heading into the most dangerous time of the year for pedestrians,B次元官网网址� chief B.C. coroner Lisa Lapointe wrote in a report analyzing all 221 pedestrian deaths between 2008 and 2011.

B次元官网网址淒uring the last four years, almost one-quarter of the pedestrian deaths occurred in December and January.B次元官网网址�

Surprisingly, road conditions and vehicle speed were not common factors in pedestrian fatalities, the report found.

Year-over-year provincial ICBC numbers show that during November and December there is an 80-per-cent average increase in crashes involving pedestrians, compared to July and August.

An average of 330 pedestrians are injured every year on Vancouver Island in traffic incidents, according to ICBC.

B次元官网网址淭he solution to this does not involve a government program,B次元官网网址� said Alan Perry, vice-chair of the Capital Regional DistrictB次元官网网址檚 traffic safety commission.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of cyclists, and particularly pedestrians, donB次元官网网址檛 drive, so they donB次元官网网址檛 realize how much less visibility there is inside a vehicle.B次元官网网址�

Some Greater Victoria municipalities have even removed certain crosswalks, as they give pedestrians a false sense of safety, Perry said.

Crosswalks with flashing overhead lights, as well as OntarioB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址減oint your way to safetyB次元官网网址� campaign B次元官网网址� where pedestrians hold out an arm while crossing the street B次元官网网址� have been found to do little to decrease pedestrian-related crashes, he said.

B次元官网网址淲e end up with a lot of broken arms and a lot of people injured.B次元官网网址�

The CRD will begin airing radio ads in the coming weeks that urge pedestrians to make themselves seen, by wearing reflective gear and ensuring they make eye contact with drivers before stepping into the path of vehicles.

B次元官网网址淧edestrians have the right of way at any intersection, but you donB次元官网网址檛 want to be dead right,B次元官网网址� Perry said.

The CRD traffic safety commission meets tomorrow (Dec. 13) to discuss possible solutions to pedestrian injuries and deaths involving left-turning vehicles, which account for roughly one-fifth of pedestrian-vehicle collisions, he said.

dpalmer@vicnews.com

ICBCB次元官网网址檚 safety tips for any time of year

Pedestrians:

B次元官网网址� Wear bright or light-coloured clothing. In dark conditions or in bad weather, wear reflective material on your clothes (sleeves, shoes, cap or jacket).

B次元官网网址� Remove headphones and put away your cellphone or other gadgets to make sure youB次元官网网址檙e prepared for the unexpected.

B次元官网网址� Make eye contact with drivers, so you know you see each other.

B次元官网网址� Use designated crossing points and obey traffic signals.

B次元官网网址� Before stepping off the curb, look left and right for oncoming vehicles. Then look left again for vehicles that may be turning onto the roadway from beside or behind you.

Drivers:

B次元官网网址� Always yield to pedestrians at intersections. ItB次元官网网址檚 the law.

B次元官网网址� If a vehicle is stopped in front of you or one lane over, they may be yielding for a pedestrian, so be prepared to stop.

B次元官网网址� When you approach an intersection, scan left and right for pedestrians.

B次元官网网址� Be extra cautious and watch for pedestrians when making a left or right-hand turn.