Category: Statewide Efforts

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, March 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, March 2023

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Each month, we post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from the previous month, and share any trends that we see. For the full list of monthly posts, head here.

Last month, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in February; eight were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in March 2023. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Crash Information.” Any Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

  • Of the 25 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in March in the MassDOT Crash portal, 6 were identified as people walking.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in March was 51.5.
  • Three of the crashes were hit & runs.
Date 3/1/2023, 7:07 PM
Location 61 Taunton St.
Town Plainville
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 46
Sex M

MassLive reports 46-year old William Murry was struck and killed by the driver of a Honda Accord at 7:07PM on Wednesday evening while walking along Taunton Street.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one side of the street. The speed limit is 40mph.

Date 3/16/2023, 9:50 AM
Location University Ave.
Town Westwood
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 82
Sex F

82-year old Alice Wedge was struck and killed at 9:50am on Thursday morning as she was trying to cross from a retail complex to the railway station. Boston.com reports two nurses stopped and gave her first aid until an ambulance arrived, but she passed away at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Needham.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. Much of the information for University Avenue at this location is incomplete. It is a two-way street, with 3 travel lanes in each direction. There is a shared use path on one side and a sidewalk and street level bike lane on the other side of the street. The speed limit is unclear in the Road Inventory since it is listed as 99. The location is adjacent to the Route 128/University Park Commuter Rail/Amtrak Station and on/off ramps for 128/95.

Date 3/24/2023, 11:42 PM
Location South St.
Town Hatfield
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 19
Sex M

Western Mass News reports 19-year old Jesse Johansmeyer was struck and killed at 11:42pm on Friday night after a bonfire in a remote cornfield in a section known as the Hatfield Meadows which is off of Great Neponset Road and South Street and near the Connecticut River. The driver of the white pickup truck fled the scene.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. It is a rural dirt road. The speed limit is unclear in the Road Inventory, and Street View is not available.

Date 3/26/2023, 5:03 PM
Location 3968 Washington St.
Town Boston
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 60
Sex M

60-year old Egdio D’Antuony was struck and killed while sitting on his porch at 5:03pm on Sunday afternoon when he was struck by a vehicle that crashed into the house. His friend, 62-year old Joseph Cobb, suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle that caused the crash fled the scene.

Boston 25 News reports:

Juan Medina, 20, is charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of personal injury or death and failing to yield at an intersection for his alleged role in the deadly March 26 crash.

Prosecutors say, Medina, was driving south on Washington Street around 5 p.m. when he turned into the northbound lane. His sudden movement allegedly caused another car to collide with a minivan and then the triple-decker where Edigio D’Antuony and Joseph Cobb sat on the front porch.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk and street parking on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date 3/27/2023, 4:59 PM
Location Logan Airport – Lower Roadway Terminal B
Town Boston
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 47
Sex M

WWLP reports 47-year old Vishwachand Kolla was struck and killed by the driver of a Dartmouth Transportation motor coach bus at 4:59pm on Monday afternoon as he was standing outside his SUV parked curbside as he waited to pick up a friend from the airport.

Boston 25 News spoke to a bystander:

“I’m like what happened.. to find out that someone lost their life tonight that affects somebody.. especially to know that you’re here the same place and it could have been you,” said Laura Vandiver, Logan Airport passenger.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under Massport jurisdiction. There are 3 through lanes and 1 curbside pickup/drop-off lane on the one-way roadway. The speed limit is 15mph.

Date 3/29/2023, 6:20 AM
Location 1000 Western Ave.
Town Lynn
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 55
Sex F

55-year old Emira Barucija was hit and killed in a crosswalk while walking to the bus stop on her morning commute to her job at Salem Hospital. The driver fled the scene. Lynn Police identified the suspect and located the suspect’s vehicle in a parking garage in the Longwood Medical area of Boston. Charges against the driver are anticipated, but not yet filed.

The Lynn Item spoke to an MBTA bus driver after the crash:

An MBTA bus driver, who spoke anonymously, said that at approximately 6 a.m. he saw the victim lying on the ground in the middle of the street, with another woman kneeling beside her.

The bus driver said a GE security guard responded to the scene just before he could call 911. He said that while driving his bus route, he sees erratic drivers in the area nearly every day.

“It’s crazy out here, you wouldn’t believe it,” he said.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 general travel lane and 1 bus/bike lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit in the Road Inventory is 30mph. (We’ve included a screenshot of the overhead view below, since the painted lanes are not yet updated on Google Street View.)

 

Updates

If you have an update about a community member who was killed in one of these crashes, please contact Brendan so we can update our 2023 list. WalkBoston has maintained a list each year since 2016, pulling the information from news reports, social media, and from people like you that share the information with us.

Yearly trackers:  |  ||||| 2022 | 2023

Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022)

Reminder about the data from the MassDOT portal

MassDOT makes no representation as to the accuracy, adequacy, reliability, availability or completeness of the crash records or the data collected from them and is not responsible for any errors or omissions in such records or data. Under no circumstance will MassDOT have any liability for any loss or damage incurred by any party as a result of the use of the crash records or the data collected from them. Furthermore, the data contained in the web-based crash report tool are not an official record of what transpired in a particular crash or for a particular crash type. If a user is interested in an official copy of a crash report, contact the Registry (http://www.mass.gov/rmv/). The City of Boston Police Department may be contacted directly for official copies of crash reports and for crash data pertaining to the City of Boston. In addition, any crash records or data provided for the years after 2018 are subject to change at any time and are not to be considered up-to-date or complete. As such, open years’ of crash data are for informational purposes only and should not be used for analysis. The data posted on this website, including crash records and other reports, are collected for the purpose of identifying, evaluating or planning the safety enhancement of potential crash sites, hazardous roadway conditions or railway-highway crossings. Under federal law, this information is not subject to discovery and cannot be admitted into evidence in any federal or state court proceeding or considered for other purposes in any action for damages that involves the sites mentioned in these records (see 23 USC, Section 409).

Fatal Pedestrian Crashes In MA (2022) Report News Coverage

Fatal Pedestrian Crashes In MA (2022) Report News Coverage

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We list all media clips on our website, but on this post we consolidated some of the media coverage for the Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022) Report. Please let us know if we missed any others that you’ve seen and we can update this post.

Report Overview

In 2022, there were 439 fatal traffic crashes in Massachusetts. After a dip during the first year of the pandemic in 2020, fatal pedestrian crashes in MA returned in 2021 to a level similar to what we’ve seen every year since 2015; this number was over 30% higher in 2022. At least 101 pedestrians lost their lives, accounting for over 23% of the total.

Our state and local leaders can and must take steps to design our streets to be safer for its citizens. We believe that MassDOT should hasten efforts to release an Action Plan based on the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. It is crucial to identify how the safety plan will be implemented. This includes identifying any resources and additional staff that will be required so that the Legislature can appropriately fund the program. In particular, we believe that the first two initiatives, “Implement Speed Management to Realize Safer Speeds” and “Address Top-Risk Locations and Populations” are of particular importance when looking at 2022’s fatal pedestrian crashes.

This report took a closer look at initial crash information made available by MassDOT through the agency’s Interactive Mapping Portal for Analysis and Crash Tracking (IMPACT) portal.

Findings:

  • Of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, 60 had a fatal pedestrian crash in 2022. There were 19 municipalities with multiple fatal crashes, while 10 Gateway Cities had more than one fatal crash.
  • Similar to the concerning trend we found in last year’s report, older adults were hit and killed at a higher rate than those in other age groups: 38.6% of fatal crash victims were over the age of 65, while this segment only represents 17% of the Commonwealth’s total population.1
  • 71% of fatal pedestrian crashes took place in Environmental Justice Census Block Groups. Environmental Justice Population Data is based upon three demographic criteria developed by the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA).
  • More than 60% of the fatal pedestrian crashes occurred in the dark (before sunrise or after sunset). A recent Federal Highway Administration report found that in 2020, 76% of all pedestrian-related fatalities in the United States occurred during periods of darkness.2
  • Ten (9.80%) of the fatal pedestrian crashes were hit and run crashes, in which the driver left the scene of the crash.

Coverage:

WalkBoston is now WalkMassachusetts!

WalkBoston is now WalkMassachusetts!

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Yes, you read that correctly. After over 30 years of statewide advocacy as WalkBoston, conversations with partners and community members across the state, and a new Strategic Plan, we are changing our name to WalkMassachusetts.

Last year we reaffirmed our Mission and defined our Vision for the future: a Massachusetts where people walking—no matter their race, identity, age, ability, or lived experience—feel safe, connected, and valued on our streets and sidewalks.

To make our Vision a reality, we established 3 goals:

  • Goal 1: Advocate for inclusive, safe, and enjoyable places for people to walk.
  • Goal 2: Work in places where people walking have the greatest need.
  • Goal 3: Achieve policy and built environment change that is noticeable, replicable, and impactful.

This led to self-reflection on where and how we focus our work. The conclusion was a continued emphasis on equitably promoting walking across the state and a clear need to move forward as WalkMassachusetts.

In short, the name has changed, but the mission remains the same: making walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities.

This is not something that happens overnight. You will be hearing much more about this over the coming months as we roll out new branding and logos, so keep your eyes peeled.

Thank you for how you have supported us for these 30 plus years, and we hope you will join us as we walk forward as WalkMassachusetts for the next 30!

Donate Today to Support the “New” WalkMassachusetts

We have an aggressive plan to expand our reach across the state and achieve our new Vision for Massachusetts. This means a lot of hard work from our staff and board, as well as community members and municipal staff across the state. It also means we need your help!

Please donate now to help us make Massachusetts safer and more accessible for all.

PS: We actually held our first “WalkMassachusetts” Network forum meeting back in December 2018. This is a long time coming!

Report: MA Fatal Pedestrian Crashes Up 35%; More than 70% Occurred in Environmental Justice Neighborhoods

Report: MA Fatal Pedestrian Crashes Up 35%; More than 70% Occurred in Environmental Justice Neighborhoods

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Jovanny Rosado
jrosado@denterlein.com
773-490-8469

Report: MA Fatal Pedestrian Crashes Up 35%; More than 70% Occurred in Environmental Justice Neighborhoods

WalkBoston calls on MassDOT to release an action plan for safe streets, and for the legislature to fund staff and resources to support eliminating fatal crashes

BOSTON (March 30, 2023) – A report released today by WalkBoston, a statewide pedestrian advocacy organization, shows fatal pedestrian crashes in Massachusetts are up by 35% in 2022 compared to 2021, with 71% of crashes taking place in Environmental Justice Census Block Groups. 

Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022) also shows that of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, 60 had a fatal pedestrian crash in 2022, and older adults were hit and killed at a higher rate than those in other age groups. 

“The sharp rise in fatal crashes is extremely troubling,” said Brendan Kearney, Deputy Director of WalkBoston. “Unsafe road design is creating fatal consequences for communities across the Commonwealth. Designing our streets to reduce illegal speeding — targeting the most dangerous locations first for fixes — will save lives.”

Of the 101 fatal pedestrian crashes, 72 occurred in Environmental Justice neighborhoods. In 2021, the legislature passed An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for MA Climate Policy, which defines an Environmental Justice (EJ) Population as an area meeting state criteria related to household income, higher minority populations, and higher populations for whom English is a second language. 

“Residents in environmental justice neighborhoods deserve the ability to walk and move through their community without the threat of being hit and killed by someone operating a vehicle,” said Tahara Samuel, Community Planning Manager of Madison Park Development Corporation. “The findings in the report that more people have died in fatal crashes this year than last should be a wake up call for state and municipal leaders that the status quo is not working. We agree with WalkBoston that the Commonwealth needs to prioritize protecting people and designing our streets to ensure safe streets for all. The City of Boston can start with the upcoming Roxbury Corridors project, a chance to hear from community members on how to make investments to fix Warren Street, Malcolm X Boulevard, and Melnea Cass Boulevard.”

Similar to the concerning trend found in last year’s version of this report, older adults were hit and killed at a higher rate than those in other age groups: 38% of fatal crash victims were over the age of 65. In Massachusetts, only 17% of the population is over 65, yet people 50 and over made up over 65% of pedestrian crash deaths in 2022.

“Nearly everyone is a pedestrian at some point in the day. Safer streets mean more people remain in their current homes or community as they age, said Mike Festa, State Director of AARP Massachusetts. “An age friendly community means complete, smartly planned streets, and transportation options are great for people of all ages; A street that’s safe for a 70-year-old to cross to shop is safe for a 7-year-old walking to school. What this new report shows us is that we can and must do better to make roads safer for all residents of the Commonwealth.” 

WalkBoston calls upon MassDOT, the legislature, and local municipalities to take immediate actions to create safer streets:

  • MassDOT recently released a Strategic Highway Safety Plan featuring sections on implementing speed management and addressing top-risk locations and populations. MassDOT must hasten efforts to release an Action Plan based on the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. 
  • It is crucial to identify how these recommendations will be implemented and funded by the legislature. 
  • Every municipality that has experienced a fatal crash should take steps to become an Age-Friendly Community. According to data from AARP, the population of the United States is rapidly aging, and by 2030, one of every five people in the U.S. will be 65 or older.

60 Massachusetts cities and towns had at least one fatal pedestrian crash in 2022. Of those, 19 municipalities had multiple fatal crashes: Boston (12), Worcester (7), Chicopee (5), Brockton, Framingham, Lowell, Springfield (3/each); Cambridge, Dedham, Easthampton, Gardner, Haverhill, Holyoke, New Bedford, Quincy, Salem, Sharon, West Springfield, Yarmouth (2/each). 

Additionally, 60% of Massachusetts’ fatal pedestrian crashes occurred in the dark (before sunrise or after sunset). And 10 (9.8%) were hit and run crashes in which the driver left the scene of the crash.

The report reviews fatal pedestrian crash data released on the MassDOT IMPACT Crash Portal and Fatal Crash Information Dashboard. The locations were cross-referenced in the MassDOT Road Inventory Tool to determine the road jurisdiction and speed limit. Google Street View was used to find additional local context.

 

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View the full report