One minute, the senior citizen couple were walking together, taking just a short jaunt across Yonge Street under clear blue skies.
The next minute, they were trapped beneath the hefty body of a produce truck and dragged.
That 77-year-old married couple, who live just blocks from where they were struck near the intersection of Maitland and Yonge Streets yesterday afternoon, are clinging to life in hospital as police concern about pedestrian safety is ratcheted up yet again.
Police say the man and woman were crossing mid-block at about 1:40 p.m., coming from the west side of Yonge Street about six metres south of Breadalbane Street. At the same time, a produce box truck waited for other pedestrians to pass so he could make a left turn southbound on Yonge Street, said Constable Hugh Smith of Traffic Services. But the truck had already started to swing its turn, just as the couple made it halfway across the street. They were struck right at the centre yellow line.
"Both people were pinned under the vehicle initially and the gentleman actually had his legs wrapped up around the front left wheel," Constable Smith said.
Toronto Fire Services workers pulled the couple from under the truck and they were transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
"She had a lot of loss of blood, a broken arm and some head injuries. He had low torso damage, both legs [were injured]" Constable Smith said. "Based on their age and the size of the vehicle, it's not looking too well."
Thirteen people have died in traffic-related incidents so far this year, nine of them pedestrians. By this time last year, only three pedestrians had died.
On average, those injured or killed are aged 65 or over.
"Last year, we had 31 fatalities, the majority of them were older," he said, noting that depth of perception changes as an individual ages and it may be hard to get used to decreased mobility. People used to crossing mid-block may not change their behaviour as they get older, he added.
Many pedestrians are also hit very close to their homes or destinations, he added. Just last week, a 56-year-old man was struck and killed by a flat-bed tow truck right outside his house near Horner Avenue west of Kipling Avenue. In late January, Juliette Robinson, 38, was crossing the street from her apartment building to run an errand when she was struck and dragged beneath an SUV at Symington Avenue and Davenport Road.
Police held a pedestrian safety campaign in January after a number of deaths. More than 100 jaywalkers were ticketed that day.