Distraction, inattention, alcohol or drug use and ignoring safety signs are plaguing pedestrians with deadly results.

In Ottawa, eight pedestrians killed were among 95 across Ontario in 2010 that made up a pedestrian death review, released Wednesday by Ontario’s Chief Coroner.

Among the eight were a 20-year-old man who mistook a car for his ride home and was hit running back across the road after a party; a man who was mowed down after police believe the 81-year-old driver mistook the gas for the brake; a woman hit and killed walking along the Queensway; a couple killed when a driver fishtailed onto a downtown sidewalk and a senior, using a walker, killed crossing a street with no nearby lights or crosswalk.

“Pedestrians have to be proactive about their safety. Even if you’re right, you’re still dead,” said Sophia Hanafi, executive director of the Ottawa Safety Council.

“For adults, they have to take responsibility. They have to understand they’re not invincible. It’s not ‘I’ll just quickly run across the road.’”

Too many people are taking their lives in their own hands and losing in what are preventable tragedies, according to the report.

About 20% of pedestrians may been distracted by something, such as a cellphone or electronic device. In 28% of cases, pedestrians had alcohol and/or drugs in their systems when they were killed. Although data for drivers was limited, the study suggests only 7% of drivers had evidence of alcohol or drug use.

Not many pedestrians were killed crossing against a light but 31% of people lost their lives darting out in traffic trying to cross the street mid-block.

In 21% of the deaths, the driver failed to yield. Driver inattention was a likely culprit in 14% of the deaths.

Overall, only 30% of the cases resulted in criminal code or Highway Traffic Act charges.

“Generally, if pedestrians follow the rules of the road — as should anyone else using the road — I’m sure these statistics would be lowered,” said Hanafi. “There’s no such thing as an accident.”

The OSC employs 140 crossing guards across the city as part of efforts to prevent pedestrian fatalities.

Developing a walking strategy, adopting a “complete streets approach” to guide community development, installing side guards on big trucks and increased enforcement were among more than two dozen recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths.

danielle.bell@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @ottawasundbell