Woman left with life-altering injuries after being hit by vehicle in NW Calgary

A woman in her 60s has life-altering injuries after being hit by a vehicle while crossing Memorial Drive in northwest Calgary Sunday afternoon.

Calgary police say it happened around 3:40 p.m. at Memorial Drive NW and Eighth Street NW.

Construction work on the south side of Memorial had led to the closure of the eastbound lanes and the two westbound lanes were converted into a single travel lane in each direction, investigators add.

Traffic reconstruction teams believe that the pedestrian, a 69-year-old woman, was at the crosswalk near 7 Street NW.

She was walking north and entered the diverted lane for eastbound traffic.

At the same time, a 2015 Toyota Highlander, driven by a woman in her 30s, entered the crosswalk and hit the pedestrian.

Police explain the pedestrian was taken to hospital in serious condition, where it was later determined her injuries would be life-altering.

The driver stayed at the scene and wasn’t hurt.

Impairment or speed aren’t believed to be factors in the incident.

Investigators believe the pedestrian had a walk signal at the time of the collision.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Anyone with information can contact Calgary police at 403-266-1234 or tip anonymously through CrimeStoppers.

A deadly year for pedestrians on Calgary’s streets

So far this year, 11 pedestrians have died on Calgary streets, and more than 300 pedestrian collisions have occurred.

Last week, three pedestrians died in a 24-hour period.

October is pedestrian safety month.

Tips for drivers:

• Make eye contact with pedestrians
• Drive at a safe speed and stop for pedestrians at crosswalks
• Never pass a vehicle at a crosswalk
• Avoid distractions: keep your eyes on the road & devices out of your hands

Tips for pedestrians:

• Use crosswalks and sidewalks
• Look both ways before crossing the street
• Follow traffic signs and signals
• Avoid distractions: limit the use of earphones and devices when walking