Tag: fatal crashes

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, February 2024

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, February 2024

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

In our previous post, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in January; nine were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in February 2024. 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 20 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in February in the MassDOT Crash portal, 7 were identified as people walking.
  • Similar to last month, some of the pedestrian crashes had the ‘speed limit’ field blank in the Road Inventory Viewer. We are now also using the MassGIS-MassDOT Roads layer to check for speed limit information.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in February was 60.5.
Date2/12/2024, 5:53 PM
LocationSouth St. + Charles St.
TownHolyoke
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age64
SexM

22News/WWLP reports that a 65-year old man was hit and killed while crossing South Street in Holyoke. Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia provided a statement to the news outlet:

“I am deeply saddened to hear of this terrible accident and loss that our city has endured. My heart goes out to the family. Here is what we know at this time: The pedestrian who was hit was not using the crosswalk, and it is my understanding that the driver of the vehicle was distracted with cell phone usage at the time of the accident. The Holyoke Police Department does not believe that the lights of that crosswalk played a role in this tragic accident. The Massachusetts State Police are currently investigating the matter and once the MSP Accident Team concludes their investigation, we will be able to provide further updates on the situation.”

22News/WWLP followed up by speaking to Holyoke residents:

Pat O’Connor, who lives near that intersection says she has to cross it often, but doesn’t feel safe doing so, “Even when you are in the crosswalk, they don’t want to stop. I’ve seen people here with wheel chairs, canes, walkers, going across the street and they just try to get around you. Its awful.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, South Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side of the street. There is not a crosswalk to cross over South at the intersection with Charles Street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date2/13/2024, 5:53 PM
LocationMain St.
TownSouthbridge
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age66
SexM

We could not find any additional news coverage of this crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Main Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one side of the street. The speed limit is 25mph.

Date2/16/2024, 11:57 AM
Location375 Maple St. + 155 Cabot St.
TownHolyoke
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age74
SexF

A 74-year-old Holyoke woman was taken to Baystate Medical Center but died from her injuries after she was struck by the driver of a car at the intersection of Maple and Cabot Streets near the library. This was the second fatal pedestrian crash in February in Holyoke.

News413 reports that MassDOT is working with Holyoke on a safety project for the High and Maple Street corridors; the project is in the planning phase and construction would not be completed until at least 2026.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Maple Street and Cabot Street are both under local jurisdiction. Cabot is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 25mph. Maple is a one-way road in the direction of Cabot with two travel lanes and parking on both sides of the street. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph. There are also School Speed Limit 20mph When Flashing” signs on two sides of the intersection.

Date2/16/2024, 9:35 PM
Location158 Oak St.
TownBrockton
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age44
SexM

WCVB reports the driver of a Chevrolet van was traveling west on Oak Street when it struck a 44-year old man in the roadway in the area of Raymond Elementary School and Brockton North Middle School. The man who was struck was transported by Brewster Ambulance to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton with life-threatening injuries. Police said he was then flown to Boston Medical Center for further treatment; they later died from their injuries.

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

Date2/17/2024, 6:20 PM
Location223 Worcester-Providence Tpke.
TownSutton
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age34
SexF

MassLive reports 34-year old Nicole Young was struck and killed by a car in Sutton along Worcester-Providence Turnpike (Rt 146).

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Worcester-Providence Turnpike (Rt-146) is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way Multi-lane Highway, not limited access. There are three lanes in each direction with a median. There are no sidewalks. The speed limit is 55mph.

Date2/28/2024, 4:30 AM
LocationMelnea Cass Blvd. + Hampden St.
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age60
SexM

WCVB reports a 60-year old man was struck and killed at the intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Hampden Street around 4:30am; police tape surrounded a black SUV at the scene.

WalkMassachusetts spoke with Boston 25 News about crashes across the state, reinforcing that street improvements and traffic calming are “really an effort of making it safer so everyone can get around and get back to their families.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Melnea Cass Blvd and Hampden Street are both under local jurisdiction. Melnea Cass is a two-way road with two through travel lanes and a left turn lane in each direction. Hampden Street is a two-way road with one through travel lane and a dedicated turn lane towards Mass Ave in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of each street. The speed limit is 35mph.

Date2/28/2024, 6:41 PM
Location21 Green St,
TownNewburyport
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age80
SexF

MassLive reports 80-year old Rev. Helen M. Sampson Murgida was struck and killed outside Newburyport City Hall by the driver of a Ford F-150 before she was to give a prayer at the State of the City Address.

Mayor Sean Reardon released a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of the Rev. Helen M. Sampson Murgida, Affiliate Community Minister at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church. Rev. Helen was scheduled to deliver a prayer at the State of the City Address.

“This is a tragic day for the Newburyport community. Our hearts are prayers are with her family, friends, and the First Religious Society.

“As an Interfaith Chaplain, Rev. Helen touched many lives within her congregation and throughout Newburyport. She had spent a long and rewarding career in special education, and she carried her passion to support those facing challenges through her faith. She advocated tirelessly for the inclusion of people with disabilities, delivering sermons and organizing community programming to raise awareness.

“She made our City an even more welcoming and inclusive place.

“My office is working with the First Religious Society to offer opportunities for community healing and will be offering ways to help the many community members affected by this loss. We also are making counseling services available to City Hall staff who have been touched by this tragedy.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Green Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a one-way road with two travel lanes and parking on both sides. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is unclear.

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 2024 list. WalkMassachusetts 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.

Monthly crash review

Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2023)

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).

WalkMassachusetts releases MA pedestrian crash report and tools to advocate for safer streets

WalkMassachusetts releases MA pedestrian crash report and tools to advocate for safer streets

BOSTON, March 29, 2024 – In 2023, one in every five (20%) fatal motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts involved a person walking getting hit by the driver of a car. Forty cities and towns experienced at least one fatal pedestrian crash over the course of the year, with eight municipalities seeing multiple crashes. More than half (54%) of the deaths occurred in environmental justice communities. 

These insights come from Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2023) WalkMassachusetts’ third annual report tracking pedestrian deaths from motor vehicles around the Commonwealth. Along with calculating the number of pedestrian deaths, the report provides time-of-day, geographic, and other insights to inform solutions for safer streets.

“We are heartbroken each year learning the stories of people walking who lose their lives in these senseless, and largely preventable, crashes,” said Brendan Kearney, co-executive director of WalkMassachusetts. “One factor emerges again and again in these crashes: vehicle speed. Our roads are designed for people to drive too fast. We witness residents across the Commonwealth wanting to advocate for changes in the streets in their own community – and we stand ready to help.”

Older adults (people aged 65 or older) continue to be disproportionately harmed, making up 31.9% of victims while representing only 18% of the state’s population. 

“People of all ages deserve to be safe as we move within and between our communities,” said Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) Executive Director James Fuccione. “For older adults to be active, engaged and included in community life means having infrastructure that prioritizes safety and connection to things we all find meaningful. This data is proof that there is more to be done as we collectively need to advance and quicken the progress being made.”

With over three-quarters of fatal pedestrian crashes in 2023 happening on local streets controlled by a city or town (76.8%), WalkMassachusetts is introducing a new resource to educate and empower people to create safer streets in their own communities: the Walk Audit Academy video series. This series will provide guidance on the elements of what creates a safe street and how to organize a group of friends and neighbors to take action on specific streets.

In addition, WalkMassachusetts is offering a Walk Audit Academy training program, where staff will work with a cohort of three to five groups within a community in a hands-on manner.

People can learn more about both programs here or at www.walkmass.org/waa

“Las auditorías peatonales y los días de demostración con intervenciones temporales permiten a las personas dar su opinión y ver posibles cambios en una calle,” said Noemy Rodriguez, Waterfront Initiative Organizer with GreenRoots in Chelsea. 

[Translation: Walk audits and demonstration days with temporary installations allow people to give feedback and see possible changes to a street.]

WalkMassachusetts’ efforts align with other promising programs being led by MassDOT, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and local cities, including:

  • At least 10 Regional Vision Zero planning efforts are just starting, with funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program. This is a sign that planning investments on a regional level have happened since our report in March 2023 to respond to safety issues on our roadways.
  • MassDOT has provided 281 school zone assemblies to 130 communities, and is developing a multi-year program to enhance bus stop crossings where pedestrian risk is high or there is a high potential for walking; they are starting with State-owned roadways (reviewing 212 bus stop locations).
  • The City of Boston has rolled out a “Safety Surge,” which focuses on three main areas: Speed Humps, Safer Intersections, and Safer Signals.

Other key crash data from the report

While total pedestrian deaths have dipped slightly from last year’s all-time high of 101 deaths, this year’s total of 69 deaths sits at the average of pedestrian deaths over the past 22 years. Other key insights include:

  • Boston, Springfield, and Brockton have had at least three fatal crashes each year that WalkMassachusetts has released a report.
  • More than three quarters (76.8%) of the fatalities took place on streets controlled by municipalities. Less than 20% (18.8%) were on MassDOT roads.
  • Almost 70% of the fatal pedestrian crashes occurred in the dark (before sunrise or after sunset).
  • More than half (54%) of fatal pedestrian crashes took place in Environmental Justice Census Block Groups.
  • 70.8% of the vehicles people were driving in these fatal crashes were passenger cars, while 21.5% were light trucks. (All vans, minivans, pickups, and SUVs are combined into the “light truck” category.)
  • 7 crashes were hit-and-run resulting in 8 deaths, where the driver left the scene of the crash.

###

About WalkMassachusetts

WalkMassachusetts makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities. Founded in 1990 as WalkBoston, the organization envisions 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.

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, November 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, November 2023

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.

In our previous post, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in October; six were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in November 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 17 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in November in the MassDOT Crash portal, 6 were identified as people walking. There was at least 2 additional fatal incidents during November.
    • As reported by WCVB: On November 12th, Massachusetts State Police said a tractor-trailer struck an unidentified person shortly before noon on the southbound side of Interstate 95 at Exit 26, where the highway merges with Interstate 93. (Editor’s note: Since this crash is not listed in the crash portal, it is possible that MSP investigators ruled the person died prior to the crash or that it was a suicide, either of which would mean it would not appear in the FARS data.)
    • As reported by NBC10 Boston: On November 29th, North Reading police rushed an 80-year old woman to a hospital after emergency crews freed her from under her Buick Regal in her driveway, but she later died. Investigators believe the car rolled backward and hit her, and they don’t believe foul play was involved. (Editor’s note: Since this incident took place in a driveway and not in a public right of way, it may not appear in the FARS data.)
  • Similar to last month, some of the pedestrian crashes had the ‘speed limit’ field blank in the Road Inventory Viewer. We are now also using the MassGIS-MassDOT Roads layer to check for speed limit information.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in November was 37.8.
Date11/3/2023, 6:35 AM
Location610 Pleasant St.
TownBrockton
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age18
SexF

There is not much coverage of this crash. A Brockton resident shared that the pedestrian was hit while walking to Brockton High School and was transported to the hospital where she later died from her injuries. The Enterprise reached out to the school for more information:

“Sadly, a grade 11 student died as a result of injuries sustained in an accident that occurred last Friday, November 3,” said Brockton High School‘s Chief Communications Officer Jess Silva-Hodges in a statement to The Enterprise Thursday, Nov. 9.

“Students were informed of available supports this afternoon and our staff are working directly with the student’s friends to provide counseling services for as long as needed,” Silva-Hodges said.

“Several staff members have been in contact and supporting the family since we first learned of the accident last week. We remain in contact and will help them however we can,” she said.

The Brockton PD logs for that day indicate that the pedestrian was hit @ 6:35 am. 610 Pleasant Street is the address for the Walgreens on the south side of the street. Heading north on MA-27 west of Walgreens, there are additional travel lanes. This is the second reported pedestrian fatality in Brockton in 2023.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Pleasant Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There are sidewalks on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date11/3/2023, 3:32 PM
LocationCentral Berkshire Blvd.
TownPittsfield
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age26
SexM

26-year old Noor Khan Zadran was hit while walking on Central Berkshire Blvd near his job site by the driver of a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. Pedestrian was transported by ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center and then by helicopter to Albany Medical Center, where the pedestrian died from their injuries.

CBS 6 Albany reports:

Police said, Judith Daly, 85, of Pittsfield, MA, was traveling north bound on Central Berkshire Boulevard when she struck a pedestrian. Daly allegedly kept driving after striking the pedestrian and continued to West Housatonic Street, where she proceeded east bound before being involved in a second crash with a 2019 GMC pickup truck driven by David Turner, 58, of Hancock, MA, at the intersection of Lebanon Avenue.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Central Berkshire Blvd is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There are no sidewalks on either side of the street. The speed limit is 45mph.

Date11/17/2023, 5:15 AM
LocationSR-24 NORTH, prior to EXIT 8
TownFall River
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age37
SexF

WCVB reports a truck operated by a 44-year-old Fall River man struck a 37-year old female pedestrian on Rt24 North near exit 8 in Fall River; she was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, SR-24 is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a divided highway with three travel lanes northbound and two travel lanes southbound. There are no sidewalks. The speed limit is unclear, with both 55mph (MassDOT Road Inventory) and 60mph (MassGIS-MassDOT Roads layer) listed.

Date11/25/2023, 10:45 PM
LocationBlue Hill Ave. + American Legion Hwy.
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age62
SexM

MassLive reports 62-year old Angel Maestre was struck and killed when he was hit by 27-year old Yordani Rodriguez who was driving a motorcycle. Yordani was transported to the hospital where he also later passed away. 

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Blue Hill Ave & American Legion Highway are under local jurisdiction. American Legion is a median divided two-way road with two travel lanes in each direction. Blue Hill Ave is a median divided two-way road with three lanes in each direction at intersections. There are sidewalks on both sides of each street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date11/25/2023, 11:34 PM
Location564 Foundry St.
TownEaston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age38
SexF

A 38-year old woman was struck and killed on Foundry Street. We could not find any additional news coverage of this incident.

This is less than half a mile from where 84-year old Michael Ginsburg was struck and killed in February 2023, also on Foundry Street.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Foundry Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There no sidewalks. The speed limit is 40mph.

Date11/29/2023, 6:58 PM
Location333 Belmont Ave.
TownSpringfield
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age46
SexM

A 46-year old man was struck and killed on Belmont Ave. We could not find any additional news coverage of this incident.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Belmont Ave is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There are sidewalks on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

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).

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, August 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, August 2023

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 July; three were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in August 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 31 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in August in the MassDOT Crash portal, 6 were identified as people walking.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in August was 52.3.
  • At least 1 took place in a parking lot, which is usually not included in FARS crash data.
Date8/2/2023, 9:27 PM
Location1233 SR-5 EAST
TownHolyoke
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age53
SexM

Western Mass News reports a driver of a Jeep struck and killed a 53-year old person walking in the southbound left lane near 1233 Main Street in Holyoke.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Main Street/SR-5 is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is two-way street with two lanes in each direction, a median barrier, and a sidewalk on the northbound side. The speed limit is 45 mph.

Date8/7/2023, 6:43 PM
Location85 MacArthur Dr.
TownNew Bedford
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age36
SexM

NBC Boston reports 36-year old John Blomgren was struck and killed by a 56-year old driver just before 7pm in a sports bar’s parking lot.

This fatal crash happened in a parking lot, which is usually not included in FARS crash data. According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, MacArthur Drive is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street with one lane in each direction, sidewalks on both sides, and bike lanes in each direction. The speed limit is unclear, with 99mph listed in the database.

Date8/18/2023, 9:18 PM
Location430 Union St.
TownRockland
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age63
SexM

Boston 25 News reports 63-year old Richard Erwin was struck and killed by 18-year old Jacob Ryan who was driving a brown KIA Optima around 9pm.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Union Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street with one lane in each direction, sidewalks on both sides, and bike lanes in each direction. The speed limit is unclear, with 99mph listed in the database.

Date8/24/2023, 3:56 PM
Location790 High St.
TownHanson
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age90
SexM

We could not find any additional news coverage of this crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

This fatal crash happened on a roadway within a cemetery, private parking areas are usually not included in FARS crash data. According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, High Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street with no sidewalks. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed and not viewable nearby on street view.

Date8/27/2023, 3:08 AM
LocationUS-6 EAST, EXIT 78A
TownDennis
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age21
SexM

Cape Cod Times/Yahoo News shared that a serious multi-vehicle crash in Dennis shut down Route 6 eastbound early Sunday morning. We could not find any additional news coverage of this crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, US-6 is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a divided highway with a grassy median, with two lanes and a shoulder in each direction. The speed limit is 55mph.

Date8/31/2023, 8:06 PM
Location248 Dickinson St.
TownSpringfield
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age51
SexF

A 51-year old woman was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle on Dickinson Street in Springfield.

WWLP/22News spoke to community members nearby:

“They drive a little too fast and we have to watch and make sure they clear before I walk,” said Cathy Tai, owner of Cathy’s Beauty Supply.

“The biggest problem that I find living here and crossing these streets is just people that drive aggressively. They come around the corner, they don’t expect someone to be standing there trying to cross,” said Thomas Balcom of Springfield.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Dickinson Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with one lane in each direction with sidewalks on both sides. The speed limit is 30mph.

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).

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, July 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, July 2023

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 June; three were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in July 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 32 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in July in the MassDOT Crash portal, 3 were identified as people walking.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in July was 60.
  • At least 1 was a hit and run, where the driver left the scene after striking someone.
Date7/1/2023, 5:06 PM
Location3 Bartlett St.
TownMerrimac
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age93
SexM

The Boston Herald reports that 93-year old Robert Whitcomb was struck and killed by a juvenile driving a vehicle near Robert’s residence on Bartlett Street. Robert may have been on a tricycle when he was struck. (This crash may be re-categorized in the future, but is currently listed pedestrian crash in the database.)

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Bartlett Street is under local jurisdiction. It is two-way street with no sidewalks. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed and not viewable nearby on street view. The default speed limit in Merrimac is 30mph. Communities in Massachusetts can opt-in to a 25mph default speed limit and create 20mph Safety Zones.

Bartlett Street does not have a Google Street View image available, but the nearby intersection of Broad/Mill/Bartlett shows a “slow” sign at the start of Bartlett Street.

Date7/18/2023, 9:30 PM
Location165 Wood Ave.
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age4
SexM

The Boston Globe reports 4-year old Ivan Pierre was struck and killed on Wood Avenue in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood near his family’s home. The driver, Olguens Joseph, left the scene after striking Ivan; he turned himself in almost two weeks later. From the article:

Boston police released a video of the car that allegedly struck and killed Ivan Pierre. The nine-second video shows the vehicle running a stop sign at the corner of Wood Avenue and Safford Street in the moments before Pierre was killed near his family’s home. The intersection is less than 500 feet from the house.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Wood Avenue is under local jurisdiction. It is a two way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side. The speed limit is 25mph.
There have been 2 other fatal crashes near that crash site on Wood Avenue in Hyde Park. On April 9, 2017 was a fatal motorcycle crash at the corner of Wood/Mariposa; and on August 11, 2020 there was a fatal vehicle crash. Since the crash in 2017, the Boston Transportation Department has implemented a number of street design changes to try and control speed and vehicle movement at wide intersections along the corridor (like Wood/Tacoma, Wood/Farrar, Wood/Mariposa), including flex posts and paint to force drivers to slow down when taking turns or navigating curves on the hilly roadway. There aren’t many crosswalks to get across Wood; this is likely due to poor sight lines with the street’s curves and hilly terrain.
Earlier this year, the City of Boston published a speed hump eligibility map as part of a safety surge effort.
Wood Avenue is not indicated as a street that qualifies for speed humps, but a number of the side streets are eligible for a future phase. It is possible that neighborhood arterials have not been listed on this general map when considering all roadways in the city in order to allow for a potential quicker rollout in order to strike a balance between implementing traffic calming and not impact any operations of MBTA bus routes or fire/emergency operations; it is also possible speed humps on arterials instead could be implemented on a case-by-case basis. Creating safer/slower streets could make it so fire/emergency responders would not need to respond to as many traffic crashes.

Date7/23/2023, 3:50 PM
LocationMcGrath Hwy. + Newcomb St.
TownQuincy
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age83
SexM

The Patriot Ledger reports that a pedestrian was hit by a car and suffered life-threatening injuries. The MassDOT crash portal dataset indicates that an 83-year old man died.

A damaged silver sedan was at the intersection, Patriot Ledger media partner WCVB reported. Vegetables from a bag were strewn on the road where the pedestrian was hit.

Quincy police said the driver stayed at the scene. It is unclear whether charges will be filed.

The victim’s name will not be released, police said.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Newcomb Street and McGrath Highway are both under local jurisdiction. Newcomb Street is a two way street with one lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side. McGrath Highway is a divided two-way street, with two lanes in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side. There is a crosswalk with RRFB flashers. The speed limit for each street is unclear, as they are both listed as 99 and there are no speed limit signs viewable nearby 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).