Drivers ignore red light in school zone, video shows

By Nitish Bossonauth and News Staff

One Toronto intersection has been getting a lot of attention on social media for all the wrong reasons.

Several videos posted online on Friday show drivers running though a red light at Nina and Bathurst Streets repeatedly. The situation is made even worse as the intersection is in a school zone and is even staffed by a crossing guard.

The disregard for both the crossing guard and the light seems to be a daily occurrence that has many parents concerned.

“I hope it doesn’t happen, but it’s only a matter of time before some sort of tragedy happens” says Derek Hensely, a concerned parent. His daughters go to Hillcrest Community School, located just steps away. He adds that the design of the intersection doesn’t help.

“They need to move the traffic light further back and stop the cycle counter because that’s what tells drivers ‘I have a few more seconds, I can make it through’,” he says.

Gil Meslin, an urban planner and road safety advocate, caught the red light runners on camera.

His tweet has received hundreds of retweets and dozens of replies. Meslin says he started recording to showcase the reality of road safety in the city and start a much needed conversation.

“We have a culture in our city where aggressive driving is now the norm,” says Meslin.

He says that the city needs to better enforce traffic rules with more police officers and red light cameras.

Councillor Joe Mihevc tells CityNews the city is working to fix the situation.

“One of the things we are doing at that intersection is putting in signs that show your speed, so that people know how (fast) they’re blowing through an intersection” he says.

He adds however that not enough is being done and and it’s happening too slowly.

In 2017, 36 pedestrians lost their lives on Toronto’s streets. There have been 17 pedestrian deaths in 2018 so far.

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