Mitcham: People repeatedly hit at intersection of Whitehorse and Mitcham roads
Four pedestrians crossing with the green man have been hit by cars and injured at one Mitcham intersection since January. But despite a report recommending changes, nothing has improved and there’s been many more near misses.
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Police are calling for people to be especially vigilant at a Whitehorse intersection where four pedestrians have been hit by cars and injured since January.
And there’s been many more close calls at the intersection of Whitehorse and Mitcham roads in Mitcham, which Nunawading highway patrol Sergeant Paul Egan has dubbed “a danger zone for pedestrians”.
Since January 2015 the major intersection has been the scene of 11 collisions where pedestrians were injured after being hit by a vehicle, according to Whitehorse police data.
A 12th incident involved a motorcyclist being injured as he swerved to avoid hitting a pedestrian.
Acting Sergeant Andrew Hope said in all but one of those 11 crashes, the pedestrians had been doing the right thing — crossing with the green man — when they were struck.
He said police were aware many more near misses were occurring at the intersection, but only recorded crashes with injuries.
Katie Breaden previously told Leader she witnessed a car hit a pedestrian at the intersection on February 1, where the victim walked away shaken but not injured.
Acting Sgt Hope said the collisions were occurring when drivers were turning from Whitehorse Rd onto Mitcham Rd — when they were allowed to turn on a green light as pedestrians crossed.
In January, after former police officer Niall Baird was bowled over by a car as he crossed Whitehorse Rd with the green man, Acting Sgt Hope prepared a report for the Department of Transport.
He said the report informed the department Whitehorse police recommended the traffic light sequencing be changed so drivers were only allowed to turn with a green arrow.
The sequencing has not been changed and earlier this month, on September 8, a 24-year-old Ferntree Gully man was knocked over at the intersection as he crossed with the green man, before he was taken to Box Hill Hospital.
Sgt Egan said the driver, a 50-year-old Nunawading woman, had said she hadn’t seen the man crossing.
Acting Sgt Hope said police couldn’t determine exactly why drivers were not giving way to pedestrians, but said drivers’ inattention likely played a large role in the offences, which tended to occur around peak hour.
Undercover police have been targeting distracted driving at the intersection, running repeated operations to catch drivers using their phones.
Acting Sgt Hope said police were concerned the number of pedestrian collisions at the Mitcham intersection was escalating, with two recorded in 2017, three in 2018 and four so far this year.
“It’s going up.”
He has called for both drivers and pedestrians to take extra care.
“Take your time, don’t rush,” he said. “Look at your surroundings.”
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He said pedestrians should avoid looking at their phones while using the intersection and stay alert.
“Pedestrians crossing should look at what the cars are doing.”
Department of Transport spokeswoman Lauren Hilbert said the department had recently conducted a safety audit of the intersection, including looking at its crash history, signage and sightlines.
“We continue to closely monitor this intersection and will consider any potential improvements which may be necessary to make it safer for everybody.”
She said electronic ‘Give way to pedestrians’ signs had been installed at the intersection in 2008.