Pedestrian deaths in Kingsville raise road safety concerns among migrant workers

The recent death of two pedestrians in Kingsville has raised concerns about road safety among migrant workers. On the night of October 29th, two men were struck and killed by a vehicle on County Road 34 West. They were both citizens of Guatemala. The 25 and 27-year-old had come to Essex County to work in the region's agricultural industry. The non-profit Migrant Worker Community Program confirmed their nationality and expressed condolences. We know that that's a tragedy, you know, and for their family that are expecting them to be back home, to be with their family. We pray for them that I know it's not going to be easy, especially when they are here working for their family. They are here because they want to support their family. As we are getting the winter time, the time that, you know, it's getting darker earlier, it's important. Wearing something or have light reflectors, something that the cars or vehicles are aware that workers in any one community is walking on the street. Tamara is not certain exactly where the two men worked or why they were on the roadway at that time, but there are large greenhouse operations in the area where the collision occurred. The speed limit is 80 kilometers per hour on that stretch of road and there is no street lighting. The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene and OPP are continuing to investigate. No charges have been announced. Essex County OPP contacted the Consulate of Mexico in Leamington for help reaching out to representatives of Guatemala. All the migrant workers in the community are at some level at risk. This has happened before, these accidents. Migrant workers in greenhouses and farms and other industries in this region, they tend to walk from their workplaces and, yeah, they go on highways. And it is risky, especially at this time of the year. Baez says Guatemalans make up the second largest proportion of migrant workers in Essex County. Dawson Chen, CBC News, Windsor.