The two pedestrians that were struck at a downtown Vernon intersection Friday are OK and recovering from their injuries out of hospital, according to the husband of one of the pedestrians, who hopes something can be done to make the intersection safer. 

Amarveer Mangat told The Morning Star that his wife, Ramandeep, and one of her clients were the two pedestrians that were hit at 32nd Street (Highway 97) and 32nd Avenue around 2 p.m. Aug. 23. A white truck and a black car were involved in the incident, which closed the highway for some time. 

Amarveer, a Kelowna resident, described the incident based on an account from his wife. He said the truck and car were on 32nd Avenue, with the truck in the left lane signalling left and the car about to cross the highway.  

"Then the (driver of the) white truck sort of changed his mind and started turning right. He didn't (shoulder check) because the white truck hit the black car and the black car lost its balance," he said.

The black car came to a rest after running into the building at 3117 32nd Street. Mangat said the driver of the black car, which appeared to be heading straight at the intersection, might have "panicked" when it was hit on its side by the truck, "and instead of pressing the brake, they accelerated so that the black car hit the wall."

He said the black car collided with a different white truck, which was twisted 90 degrees by the collision, causing it to strike his wife and her client who were crossing 32nd Street in the crosswalk.

Mangat received a call about the incident from a nurse who was in the ambulance with his wife, speaking to him from his wife's cell phone on the way to Kelowna General Hospital.

He said he was "scared" upon receiving the call and concerned for his wife's well-being. 

"My hands and legs were shivering at the time."

His wife suffered a deep cut on her ankle, broken front teeth, bruises on her knees and lower lip, and pain on her back and neck. But he confirmed the injuries were not as serious as they could have been, with both Ramandeep and her client released from hospital Friday night. 

One witness at the scene of the crash told The Morning Star there have been several crashes at that intersection in the past month. The city was not able to confirm how many crashes have taken place there of late by the time of this story's publication. 

However, the crash was just a couple blocks north on Highway 97 from where Vernon teen Lynza Henke was fatally struck in July. 

Mangat said he is aware and saddened by news of Henke's death. Between that accident and the one that involved his wife, he would like to see something done to better control traffic on that stretch of highway, such as adding a speed camera to the intersection.

While it's unclear if speed was a factor in Friday's crash, Mangat said he thinks a speed camera would in general make for a safer intersection. 

"If there is a speed camera then people will think to go under the speed limit," he said. 

The implementation of speed cameras on highways falls under the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General's purview. In response to a request for comment, the ministry did not say whether it's looking into additional speed cameras on Highway 97 in Vernon, but said it is currently reviewing its Intersection Safety Camera program "to determine how automated enforcement can be further enhanced to benefit safety for British Columbians."

The ministry said it is exploring new technology to improve operations, and it is expected its review will inform a new automated traffic enforcement program by 2027. 

"At this time, the province is focusing on monitoring and evaluating the 35 speed- activated cameras within the Intersection Safety Camera program."