A new pedestrian crossing sign at North Crenshaw and Ellwood avenues (Photo by Heather Palmateer)
Although driving decreased last year because of COVID-19 lockdowns, there were 123 pedestrian fatalities in Virginia, an increase of 17% compared to the drop in driving, according to traffic safety data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The Richmond metro region reached a record high for pedestrian fatalities, with 32 deaths in 2020 — a 39% increase over the previous year.
The primary causes for the deadliness of the accidents are speed and high-impact energy upon crashing, says Brantley Tyndall, director of outreach for Bike Walk RVA. In Virginia there was a 35% increase in speeding-related fatalities, according to the data.
"With driving going down, there's less congestion," Tyndall says. "With less congestion, drivers can go faster. Those faster crashes then carry more impact energy and are more deadly to pedestrians."
Another factor is the bigger size of SUVs, Tyndall says. "Studies have found that [SUVs] limit the visibility of people. Because they are so much higher off the ground, and their hoods are bigger, they can't see as much asphalt just in front of the vehicle. ... The problem with that is, they may not see a child crossing the street or a smaller person."
To curtail pedestrian fatalities, "Stop for Pedestrians" signs will be installed at 55 locations in the city, according to a press release from the Department of Public Works. These signs will complement a Virginia state law that requires cars to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. Additionally, the city will begin marking new crosswalks at 150 intersections and install new crosswalks and larger stop signs, among other measures.
Tyndall says he appreciates the new signs and crosswalks, but he also wants the city to focus on speed reduction.
"[Speed] is the No. 1 predictor [of] whether a crash will be fatal."
