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There have been decades since it happened, but as the date approaches every year, the memories of what happened return and bring with it powerful emotions.

"For the full month I dread that date," he said. "The day of, I drive and I try to do my normal things, but it doesn't seem easy."

Years ago, Joe struck a pedestrian with his car in St. John's metro area. The pedestrian died from their injuries. Joe asked The Telegram not to use his real name for fear of causing more pain to the family.

It was ruled an unpreventable accident, caused by several factors. It happened at night in the fog, the pedestrian was wearing dark clothes and walking on the road as he happened to be driving around a turn.

"I flashback on it every time I pass that area," he said.

He spent many nights thinking about what happened, wondering what he could have done differently.

"I was six months before I went back to work after that accident," he says.

He has since come to terms with it. But he says he is still driving today if it is for a family member forcing him to get back in his vehicle.

"I still want to drive more and they made me drive and kept at it and kept making me drive until I got comfortable and confident enough in myself to go back driving," he said.

The accident has made him think a lot about the roles that both drivers and pedestrians can play in making sure everyone is safe.

"When I hear about a vehicle-pedestrian accident, I read the stories and I think about it and I think about the driver and say, you poor bastard, I know what happens though," he said. "Even if the driver is at fault, I still know what's going on because the day after is still the day after."

He mentions several areas in St. John's, especially downtown, where pedestrians tend to jaywalk. He says people need to pay more attention and take extra time to walk to the crosswalk, instead of crossing anywhere.

"People will flip out if you don't stop for them," he says.

"Honestly, I feel comfortable stopping for people (not on a crosswalk) because I know when a car is going to come up the road flying and come around the corner."

Const. James Cadigan, media relations for the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), says driving this time of year requires extra attention.

"We are dealing with peak traffic times in the evening, which is essentially happening in darkness," he said. "It asks for an increased level of vigilance on both part of the vehicle operators and pedestrians."

For pedestrians, Cadigan recommends wearing something bright and reflective in the evening to be as visible as possible and to ensure motorists see you when on a crosswalk, through eye contact and by making sure completely stopped. And drivers need to slow down this busy time of year, he says, so they have more time to take in their surroundings.

One busy spot in St. St. John's is in the Thorburn Road area near Mount Scio Road. Michaela Coombs works at the Orange Store there and says she sees people crossing illegally all the time.

"You stood here in the window now and you can see someone darting out into traffic," Coombs said. "Someone's going to get killed if they aren't careful. Frightening to see it…"

"People come into the store all the time commenting on it. I think people are just lazy and just want to walk to the corner to go to the crosswalk."

Keith Gosse, the Telegram's breaking news photographer, has been on the scene of some of the metro area's most serious accidents. He has been to this year alone and says while the onus is on the driver to be aware of their surroundings, pedestrians should think of their safety as well.

"You only help yourself if you wear a bit of light clothing with reflective fabric or a safety vest or even a pair of reflective armbands," Gosse said. "It gives the drivers a little bit of extra warning."

He says he was accused of blaming the victim by making such a statement. Still, simple things like making yourself more visible could save you from getting hit.

"Assume the drivers see you," he said. "Seen people hit by cars who started crossing the road and got hit because they assumed the driver had seen them."

"Just a self-protection thing."

Just a few weeks ago, Gosse went to the scene of an accident where a man was hit near the Shoppers Drug Mart on LeMarchant Road in St. Louis. John's.

"The guy had run out of traffic and was hit by a car, and the police ticketed him for doing it," he said. "He was ticketed for failing to yield to an oncoming vehicle."

As for Joe, he says knowing he was going to tell his story to The Telegram and thinking about what he was going to say said easy.

"But If going to help someone else is still worth doing," he says.