EHS and firefighters prepare to transport one of two people who were involved in a pedestrian vs Halifax Transit bus accident on Spring Garden Road in Halifax on April 10, 2018. Photo by Tim Krochak /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentAround this time last year, a 24-year-old woman was running for the bus in downtown Halifax.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe bus-pedestrian collision happened just before 7 a.m. on Oct. 31 at South Park Street and Spring Garden Road, and she died at the scene. Article contentArticle contentAt a Halifax regional council meeting in November last year, Coun. Kathryn Morse (Halifax – Bedford Basin West) asked for staff to dig into trends of collisions involving transit and “vulnerable road users,” looking specifically at injuries, and report back on initiatives to mitigate these collisions.Article contentArticle content“This was prompted by the tragic accident that happened on Spring Garden Road,” Morse said at the time. “But we’ve also had a number of other transit-related collisions in the last few months. I thought it would be timely given we’re having a new council to establish a bit of a baseline.”Article contentThat report was released last week and it will be discussed at a council meeting in October. Article contentJust what does it have to say about crashes between buses and pedestrians or cyclists (or anyone on the road but not in a car)?Article contentWhat is the report looking at?Article contentMichael Savary, investigator of accidents and claims with Halifax Transit, compiled a report analyzing collisions over the five-year period from Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2024. He breaks down preventable versus non-preventable collisions, looking at injuries by road user type as well as frequency and severity of the injuries. He also makes comparisons to national and provincial collision rates.Article contentArticle contentHe noted that the collision data includes all vehicles owned by Halifax Transit, including supervisor vehicles.Article contentWhat are preventable collisions, and are they the majority?Article contentCollisions are considered preventable if it’s found that the operator didn’t do “everything reasonably possible” by following policies, rules of the road and defensive driving techniques to prevent a crash.Article content A graph showing preventable versus non-preventable Halifax Transit collisions over five years. Photo by HRMArticle contentSavary concluded that of the 4,281 collisions involving Halifax Transit buses from 2020 to 2024, 2,336 were deemed preventable — that’s around 55 per cent.Article contentBy far (and year after year), most collisions involving buses are with other vehicles. In just 2024, there were 569 collisions with vehicles and 14 involving pedestrians.Article content Halifax regional police investigate a three-car collision involving a Halifax Transit bus on Barrington Street in Halifax on April 16, 2024. Two people were taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Photo by Tim Krochak /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentHow many transit collisions resulted in injuries?Article contentOut of those 4,000-plus crashes, only 54 had reports of initial injuries: 15 were minor (no treatment required), 19 were moderate (treated and released), 17 were major (needing hospitalization) and three were fatal.
How often are Halifax buses colliding with vulnerable road users?
