TORONTO

It was a typical summer day for Manoranjana Kanagasabapathy.

The 52-year-old woman left home to worship at her Scarborough temple before heading to her job at TD Bank.

She then headed to Steeles Ave. E. and Middlefield Rd. to board a TTC bus for the journey to work.

The bus arrived. And seconds later Kanagasabapathy was dead.

When an out-of-control truck plowed into the front of the bus, just as Kanagasabapathy boarded, she became one of 50 people to die in accidents on city streets so far this year.

Sadly, that total marks a five-year high for traffic fatalities in Toronto – with two months still to go.

That’s 50 motorists, pedestrians and cyclists whose lives were cut short. And 50 families left shattered.

So far this year, 50 people have been killed in traffic fatalities in Toronto. Scroll over the map below to get more details.Story continues below.

Kandiah Kanagarajah said his sister’s death left a gaping hole in his family.

“It’s been extremely hard since my sister’s death,” Kanagarajah, 57, told the Toronto Sun recently. “She was the glue that held our family together.”

Kanagasabapathy left behind four siblings, a husband, a son still living at home and a married daughter with a young girl of her own.

“It’s been especially difficult on her husband and son,” Kanagarajah said. “Their house if like a ghost town. She was their universe and with her gone they feel so alone.”

Another 49 families lost loved ones in the first 10 months of 2013 and know that lonely feeling all too well.

Traffic fatalities had been steadily declining the last decade, dropping from 97 in 2002 to 35 in 2011, according to Toronto Police statistics. In 2012, however, traffic deaths jumped to 44.

Of those who perished this year: 16 motorists, 3 cyclists and 31 pedestrians. The last time Toronto saw more traffic fatalities was in 2008 when 54 lives were lost.

Surprisingly, Traffic Services Const. Clint Stibbe said many victims, including Kanagasabapathy, were killed on bright, sunny days.

“You’re 95% more likely to be killed on a clear, dry day,” he said, adding Fridays are statistically the deadliest day of the week.

Police studies the last five years have shown most traffic deaths occur on major streets during the summer months and involve pedestrians 25 to 54 years old.

Of this year’s 50 fatalities, 19 happened in July and August, killing 11 pedestrians, four motorcyclists, two drivers and two passengers.

Sadly, Stibbe is convinced all those deaths could have been avoided.

“Any time we have a collision, somebody has made a mistake,” he said. “If everyone was doing everything they were suppose to be doing, every one of these incidents wouldn’t have happened.”

He believes motorists and pedestrians these days are overloaded with “distractions.

“We’re all so connected to the world around us, but we forget the world beside us,” Stibbe said.

The truck driver involved in Kanagasabapathy’s death faces numerous charges. A witness at the time claimed the driver appeared to be using a cellphone prior to the crash.

While that has yet to be proven in court, Kanagasabapathy’s brother suggested everyone could all benefit from spending time away from smart phones, MP3 players and tablets, whether in the car, walking around town or at home.

“Take back your life,” Kanagarajah urged. “Don’t be a slave to these gadgets.”

Kanagarajah sees life differently since losing his sister and believes everyone needs to slow down to reduce stress in their lives.

“People need to take time to smell the roses,” Kanagarajah said. “And drivers need to remember they have a responsibility to keep their eyes, and their minds, on the road 100% of the time.”