Pedestrian deaths surge as traffic signals skip hot spots

Calgary is tracking toward a record-breaking year for pedestrian fatalities, with data suggesting the city's safety infrastructure isn't matching where the danger is greatest.

There have been 10 pedestrian deaths so far this year, putting the city on pace for 40 — more than double last year's 15 fatalities, which was already an 11-year high. Between May 2025 and 2026, there were 413 pedestrian incidents across the city, according to Open Calgary data.

Inspector Rob Patterson with Calgary Police Service's traffic section attributes the rise to speeding caused by poor time management and impatience among drivers. "Pedestrians are almost 50 per cent of our fatalities at this point in time, which is not something we want to see," Patterson said in a May availability. "We need everyone to just slow down, pay attention, and take some responsibility."

The downtown core and northeast quadrant accounted for the majority of pedestrian-related incidents last year, but of the 19 new traffic control signals installed since January, only four were placed in these hot-spot areas. Since then, most new signals have gone into developing communities.

Ward 5 Councillor Raj Dhaliwal said it is "concerning" that new signals aren't aligned with incident data. "Infrastructure upgrades, additions, and improvements should be based on the data," he said.

The city says each signal location is informed by traffic volume, collision history, and proximity to schools, transit stops, and pathway connections. Deborah Tetley from the city's mobility department explained that signals in developing communities are often funded through off-site levies, while established areas rely on different funding mechanisms — a structural reality that shapes where improvements land.