New Westminster police respond to three pedestrian collisions in three days

New Westminster police are urging drivers and pedestrians to take extra care after officers were called to three separate collisions involving people on foot over a three day period. The incidents, which occurred between November 22 and November 24, came at a time when shorter daylight hours are already increasing safety risks on city streets.

The first collision was reported on November 22 in the 500 block of 6th Street, where a man told 9-1-1 he had been struck by a vehicle. Emergency crews from New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services and BC Emergency Health Services assessed the victim, who sustained minor injuries. Police say the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.

About an hour later, officers working in the downtown core heard the sound of another crash in the unit block of 8th Street. They found that a pedestrian had been hit and that the driver had left the scene. Police provided initial care to the injured person and located the suspected vehicle and driver a short distance away on Carnarvon Street.

A third incident happened on November 24 in the Sapperton neighbourhood, where a pedestrian using a marked crosswalk was struck by a driver. Police say the motorist stayed on scene and investigators have since seized the vehicle as part of their ongoing review.

Sergeant Andrew Leaver said reduced seasonal visibility is contributing to increased hazards and reminded both drivers and pedestrians that road safety requires shared responsibility. The recent collisions follow broader concerns across Metro Vancouver about rising pedestrian injuries during the fall and winter months.