Pedestrian accidents escalate during wet Toronto commute

Thursday, October 29, 2015, 8:58 AM - An unusually high number of accidents involving pedestrians on the streets of Toronto on Wednesday had local police urging drivers to take extra precaution when travelling on slick, wet roads.

And a day later, a cyclist has been struck and killed amid a dark and rainy morning drive in Brampton.

Police are investigating the accident after a man on a bicycle was struck and killed by an alleged hit-and-run driver before 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

There has been no word as to whether wet, dark conditions were a factor, though the incident occurred on a dark stretch of Steeles Avenue near Highway 427.

At least 16 people were struck by cars in the Greater Toronto Area on Wednesday, according to the Toronto Star.

Ten of those incidents occurred within a two-hour period.

A classic fall storm began bringing heavy rain and strong winds to southern Ontario during the early morning hours on Wednesday, with showers lingering through Thursday. Sheets of steady rain during the dark, pre-dawn hours greatly reduced visibility on slippery roads across the GTA, contributing to an above average number of pedestrians being hit by vehicles.

After an abnormally active morning, the impending darkness of the afternoon commute meant officials were still on high alert.

“To have 10 incidents since 6 a.m. is unusually high, and I expect that number will go up once the afternoon rush hour starts,” Constable Clinte Stibbe told the Toronto Star around 9 a.m. EDT Wednesday.

An average of six pedestrians are hit by cars on a typical day in Toronto, according to police.

INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS: The end of Daylight Savings Time can have a negative impact on road safety. Find out how you can help your body adjust HERE

Many of the people struck by cars Wednesday morning were hit while crossing the roads or getting off public transit in the dark.

By mid-day, Toronto Police had reported 12 people being hit while walking on the streets of Toronto. Four additional collisions involving pedestrians were reported by York Regional Police and Peel Police.

None of Wednesday's collisions were fatal or serious, with bumps and bruises among the worst of the injuries sustained by the victims, according to local paramedics.

Flooded Go Train rail during the evening commute

Heavy rain flooded rail lines, causing evening delays on the Richmond Hill and Barrie train corridors Wednesday.

"The large amount of rain today has caused us to shut down an area of track on our Richmond Hill line and because of this, four Richmond Hill trains will be using [the Barrie] corridor to travel north this evening," Go Transit says in a statement on its website.

"We believe the sharing of the tracks with these trains will result in delays of up to 20 minutes on your trip home so please give yourself a little extra time."

Source: Toronto Star | Go Transit | 680News