On Nov. 4, 2024, 19-year-old James was crossing the street at Fraser Highway and 264 Street in Langley when he was struck by a right-turning semi truck.
James’ mother, Jaime Dickson, says she had driven by the crash on her way to work, not knowing it was him.
“My husband got the knock on the door that no parent ever wants to get,” she said.
“We got to the hospital, and that is when we were told he had a traumatic brain injury and a completely severed spine, and he was gone.”
Dickson says her son had complained about this intersection before. Now she is using her pain to advocate for better road safety. She is raising a number of concerns, such as partial blind spots and a sidewalk she says is too low.
“I would like to see that sidewalk raised,” she said.
“When the semis turn right, they often mount the curb, because it is such a sharp turn.”
The intersection is a very busy one, with a constant flow of semi trucks driving by. According to ICBC data, there were 322 crashes here between 2021 and March of this year.
Dickson says she has expressed her concerns to the Ministry of Transportation, which replied saying the intersection meets provincial design standards.
The Township of Langley says it has submitted a formal letter to the province, calling for pedestrian safety improvements in the surrounding area.
“I don’t want any other family to go through the trauma that we have,” Dickson said.
