Police urge to follow pedestrian crossing rules

Police will conduct extensive monitoring of adherence to pedestrian crossing rules, use of seatbelts and factors that may cause inattention in traffic, such as use of mobile phones, said a press release of National Police Board.

On average, 20 pedestrians have been killed and 400 injured annually in recent years.

Almost two thirds of pedestrian deaths and 90 per cent of injuries occurred in urban areas.

Last year, 7.4 per cent of those killed and 8.1 per cent of those injured in traffic incidents were pedestrians.

“Pedestrian crossings, unfortunately, are still not entirely safe, as one fifth of accidents leading to the death of a pedestrian occurred on pedestrian crossings. In addition, more than half of the injured pedestrians got hurt on a pedestrian crossing, comments, “ said Heikki Kallio, Chief Superintendent at the National Police Board.

Pedestrian crossings are most dangerous for the elderly and for children. Over half of the people that died and about 35 per cent of the people that were injured on pedestrian crossing were aged 65 or older. In more than one out of four cases in which a pedestrian was injured, the injured party was a child or young person.

“Consequently, we will be paying particular attention in our monitoring to the behaviour of drivers as they approach pedestrian crossings where children or elderly people are attempting to cross,” Kallio said.

European Union and Schengen rules oblige police among others to prevent illegal immigration and residence within the Schengen area where there are no internal border controls.