Editor,

Children I was dismayed to read your recent article about a child being struck by a driver in South ÐÔÊӽ紫ý

While I am relieved that the child will be OK, the framing of the incident—particularly the last paragraph—reflects a troubling and all-too-common tendency to shift responsibility onto the most vulnerable road users rather than the people operating multi-ton vehicles.

The ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Police Service's suggestion that this should serve as a reminder for children to be more cautious is completely backward. The real takeaway should be that drivers—who are licensed and trained—must be more vigilant, especially in areas where children are likely to be present.

A child walking on a residential street or crossing at an intersection is not the problem; the problem is that our roads prioritize driver convenience over safety and that too many drivers fail to exercise due care.

If we are serious about reducing road injuries and fatalities, we must stop accepting these crashes as inevitable and start holding drivers to a higher standard. That includes a shift in public messaging away from blaming pedestrians—especially children!—and toward demanding more responsibility from the people behind the wheel.

Rhiannon Fox, volunteer, Vision Zero Vancouver