Calgary police are investigating the death of a two-year-old girl who was struck by a vehicle Monday night. 

At around 7 p.m. on Aug. 4, the girl was hit by a white truck in an alley near the 600 block of Taradale Drive NE. 

Calgary Police Services (CPS) said that the girl had life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Alberta Children’s Hospital, where she later died. 

The driver, a man in his 30s, had made a quick turn into the back alley when he struck the toddler. According to CPS, he was uninjured and remained at the scene following the collision. 

The incident remains under investigation, and CPS said in an Aug. 5 news release that alcohol and drugs are not considered factors that led to the crash. 

Police have asked that anyone with information or an eyewitness account of the incident, including dashcam footage to contact them at (403) 266-1234 or submit an online tip via Crime Stoppers.

Residents suspect speeding as the reason

One resident, who did not want to be named, said that the stretch of road just south of the intersection of Taravista Way and Taradale Drive NE often attracts excessive speeding. 

“This area is actually known for people driving fast cars, cars with the big engines, big mufflers, anytime during the day, morning, evening, and night,” he said. 

“Terrible, terrible, terrible.”

Having lived here for over ten years, he said that Taradale Drive NE used to have speed bumps, but that they were recently removed. 

According to the City of Calgary’s website, the speed bumps that the resident was referring to were one of many rubber cushions that were removed by the city sometime in February, citing deterioration caused by winter weather. 

Originally, the non-invasive speed bumps were installed as part of a city-wide pilot project last summer. That spring, the city selected the locations for installing the tables based on requests submitted by residents and data indicating which roads were prone to speeding.

Speed cushions are considered most effective at reducing speeding in areas with limits between 30 and 40km/h. For the segments placed along Taradale Drive NE, these served the low-speed zone near the Ted Harrison School. 

This past winter, the City of Calgary evaluated the rubber speed bump’s effectiveness and said that the positive results mean that they are likely to return permanently during the 2025 construction season. 

“We plan to replace the temporary materials with permanent asphalt speed cushions during the summer/fall construction season,” read the website.

“This transition will help ensure long-term durability and reduce potential issues with temporary materials during the winter months.”