TORONTO, Ont. – Police are asking drivers to keep an eye out for the elderly, following a rash of collisions which have left seniors with serious injuries.

“We’re trying to get everybody to pay attention to what’s going on,” Toronto Traffic Services Constable Clint Stibbe told 680News.

Many of the fatal incidents happen as motorists back out of parking spaces.

“The collision itself – although not a very dramatic collision in the sense of high speed – but the elderly, unable to perhaps react in time, or protect themselves as they’re falling have resulted in serious injury,” Stibbe said. “When you’re walking through parking lots, it can be just as dangerous as you crossing the street.”

Stibbe added that Toronto Police want people to realize that even if they’re in a parking lot and think speed is not a factor, there are other consequences which are often deadly. In addition to the elderly, children and adults may not have the chance to protect themselves from being hit by a car.

Five elderly people have been killed in collisions so far in 2012 and nine have been seriously injured, a number which is up from last year.