The City of Whitehorse should urgently construct an overhead flashing-lights system at the Fourth Avenue pedestrian crosswalk in front of Tags Food and Gas, the Yukon’s chief coroner has recommended.

The suggestion comes after coroner Kirsten Macdonald’s investigation into the death of William Lagimodiere. He was hit by an SUV in February 2014 while he was crossing Fourth Avenue.

Video surveillance of the area showed the 69-year-old push the button to activate the flashing lights on both sides of the road.

He waited for southbound traffic to clear, then began to walk eastbound in the crosswalk. About 10 seconds later, he was struck.

Lagimodiere was taken to Whitehorse General Hospital in critical condition, and later died from his injuries.

Those included an arm fracture, head laceration, collapsed right lung and spinal dislocation “so severe it was incompatible with life,” according to Macdonald’s March 19 report.

She found the SUV was travelling northbound about 10 kilometres over the speed limit, which was 30 km/h in what was then a construction zone.

Orange signs were posted advising motorists to slow down due to crews working in the area.

The driver didn’t yield to the crosswalk and didn’t brake before hitting Lagimodiere, Macdonald found.

That day, Feb. 26, 2014, was clear and sunny.

“Sunlight from the south diminished northbound drivers’ ability to observe the flashing crosswalk lights,” Macdonald wrote.

“The painted crosswalk lines on the pavement were worn off and no longer visible.”

The current lights system at the crosswalk includes a white pedestrian sign in front of Tags, about three metres above the sidewalk.

There are eight lights around it, and two orange lights under the sign that illuminate when the button is pushed.

On the other side of the street is a yellow pedestrian sign and two button-activated flashing orange lights.

Macdonald recommends the city’s engineering department erect overhead illuminated signs with downward lights and pedestrian pushbutton-activated flashers to prevent future similar deaths.

Such a system is in place at Second Avenue and Wood Street.

The stretch of Fourth where Lagimodiere was hit is busy with both pedestrian and vehicle traffic, Macdonald wrote.

Overhead signs with downward lights would increase motorists’ awareness of pedestrians, draw their attention to the crosswalk ahead and eliminate the effects of sunlight on the flashing lights.

The driver of the SUV was convicted last month of two charges under the Motor Vehicles Act: failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and driving without due care and attention.

Calls to the city’s engineering department were not returned last Thursday afternoon.

The city is closed today as part of the Easter break.