High number of fatal pedestrian crashes alarming to Phoenix committee members
PHOENIX - Data from Arizona's Department of Transportation shows that in 2023, there were 271 fatalities connected to pedestrian-involved crashes.
Last week we reported on a hit-and-run involving a teenage girl in Tempe who was on her way to school.
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Mother gives an update on teen struck by hit-and-run driver in Tempe
A Valley mother is speaking out after her teenage daughter was hit by a car while walking to school in Tempe on Dec. 3. She says her daughter is in a coma while the driver is accused of felonies.
Her family spoke with us and what they had to say really exemplifies the importance of education and vigilance needed from everyone out on the roadways.
"I know every parent has these nightmares, you know, my child is gonna get hurt, something's gonna happen to them but it's so surreal," said Shirley Jenks, Amie's mother.
Vision Zero Street Safety Committee works toward a solution
The Vision Zero Street Safety Committee in Phoenix wants everyone to be talking about pedestrian safety.
Chairman Ed Hermes says his heart breaks when he hears stories like Amie's.
"These are real peoples' lives changed forever and also, I've got my own kids, I want them to be safe walking and biking through our community," Hermes said.
Hermes says there are ways the city can help reduce these incidents, including enforcement of illegally parked cars and restriping of crosswalk areas.
"Updating our striping policies for our crosswalks all throughout the city to make them more visible, safer, and have stop bars to keep the pedestrian areas clear," he said.
Hermes says one point of focus should be on education, especially during the school year.
"Other cities have done an ‘operation slow down’ around our school zones when school is coming back into session, reminding and education drivers and then doing some enforcement around those school zones to really make it safe for our kids to walk to school," he said.
As for Amie's family, they shared a message to Castellanos that hits home for any family of a hit-and-run victim.
"Yes you committed this crime, but you should've just stayed. I don't understand how this man is able to sleep at night, we're not even able to sleep at night due to his actions," said CJ Jenks.
Here at 7th Avenue and Fillmore Street, there's another example of a safety measure put in place by the city of Phoenix.
It's a HAWK light, and when pedestrians push the button here, the light automatically turns red.
The 100th HAWK light was just installed in the city this month.