Pregnant woman struck and injured by vehicle in Prince George, say police

Police in Prince George say a pregnantwoman was struck and injured by a vehicle on Friday.It's the latest in a string of pedestrian collisions in several jurisdictions.

ICBC says between October and January, pedestrian fatalities increase by an average of 54 per cent in the province.

This fall, it launched an awareness campaign to urge drivers and pedestrians to take steps to prevent crashes.

Prince George RCMP say ataround 7 p.m. PT on Friday,a 37-year-old woman was struck by a Ford F350 truck in the area of Highway 97 and Noranda Road. Her unborn child did not survive.

Passing motorists provided the woman with first aid before she was transported to hospital by paramedics.

"It is with sadness we report the woman's unborn child did not survive the incident; the mother iscurrently in stable condition," said a release from Prince George RCMP.

Investigators are asking for tips from the public to locate the vehicle, which they say is a model from between 2014 and 2017.

3 other incidents

Meanwhile, three other pedestrians were struck by vehicles in Surrey, Burnaby and Abbotsford on Friday as well.

In Surrey, a woman was taken to hospital with severe injuries after being struck by a mint green Dodge Caravan in the 13300 block of Old Yale Road, according to police.

Police say the driver of the vehicle did not stay at the scene of the incident.

In Burnaby a 54-year-old man sustained life-threatening injuries after being struck just before 10 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Patterson Avenue and Central Boulevard.

Burnaby RCMP said the driver involved in that incident stayed at the scene and is co-operating with police.

Speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors.

Also on Friday night, just before 8 p.m., a woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries after police say she was struck by a vehicle at the intersection ofBevan Avenue and Gladwin Road in Abbotsford.

Investigators said the driver in that crash did not stay at the scene but was later located by officers and is being questioned.

Scan your surroundings,avoid distractions

ICBC says distracted driving and failing to yield the right-of-way are the top contributing factors for drivers in crashes with pedestrians, with 80 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians happening at intersections.

On average, around 2,400 pedestrians are injured in collisions each year, according to ICBC.

It's asking both motorists and pedestrians to be vigilant for each other.

"Whether you're a pedestrian or a driver, always remember to scan your surroundings and avoid distractions. It's important we all do our part to keep our roads safe," said Lindsay Matthews, a vice president with the insurer.