Wendy Collard, a council governance support officer, was speaking from tragic personal experience, after her mother was struck and killed by a truck while crossing on an inner-city pedestrian crossing in 2008.
She was the first submitter to speak at the start of the council's draft transport strategy hearing in Dunedin yesterday.
Mrs Collard told the hearing she wanted Barnes Dance crossings reintroduced at busy city intersections, giving pedestrians the right to cross in all directions at once in safety.
She acknowledged that could lead to short delays for motorists, ''but nobody died from waiting''.
''I am not here for your sympathy. I truly believe that if this busy intersection had been a Barnes dance crossing, my mum would be alive today.
''I believe that Barnes Dance crossing are safer ... They allow pedestrians to cross the road without fear of cars coming at them and allow cars to use the intersection without fear of pedestrians crossing when they shouldn't.''
Her 64-year-old mother, Shirley Heads, had been fit and healthy and only days from retirement when the accident happened on April 28, 2008.
She had stepped out of her office to run an errand, only to be hit by the truck and trailer unit while using the crossing, and died at the scene.
The driver did not realise what had happened until told later, after arriving at his destination, and later pleaded not guilty to driving charges, forcing Mrs Collard and her family to relive the trauma in court before a guilty verdict, she said.
''No matter how hard I expected it to be, it was much, much worse ... It was very traumatic and will stay with me forever.''
She urged subcommittee members to consider Barnes Dance crossings, saying any cost and inconvenience would be worth it.
