PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2021
CONTACT: Jodie Medeiros, Executive Director, Walk SF, jodie@walksf.org, 415-596-1580 (cell)
Pedestrian hit & run fatality marks ninth pedestrian death this year
San Francisco, Calif. – Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Christine Reed, age 72, who succumbed to her injuries on June 25, 2021 after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on May 28 while walking in the Mission District.
“We mourn the loss of another precious life cut short from unnecessary traffic violence,” said Jodie Medeiros, executive director of Walk San Francisco (Walk SF). Walk SF and members of the San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets are here to support Christine Reed’s family and community.
Reed’s death marks the ninth pedestrian fatality in San Francisco already in 2021. She is also the fifth pedestrian over the age of 65 to lose her life while walking this year. Older adults typically make up 40-50% of pedestrian fatalities, even though they are only 15% of the population. More seniors have died walking in 2021 already than in all of 2020. Citywide, around 30 people are killed and nearly 600 severely injured each year on San Francisco streets; pedestrians make up the largest share of victims.
“Our streets need to be safe for all ages. Older adults should not fear for their lives just walking in their neighborhood to get a pint of milk or visit a friend,” said Medeiros. “City leaders must do more to protect our most vulnerable and prevent any more unnecessary tragedies.”
Streets in the Mission District need the City’s attention to be made safer, especially for people walking. This neighborhood is home to some of the most vulnerable residents, including children and seniors.
Both 16th and Folsom Streets, where Reed was hit, are on the City’s official “high-injury network.” The high-injury network is the 13% of San Francisco’s streets that account for 75% of the city’s severe traffic injuries and fatalities. Two people lost their lives nearby on 16th Street in crashes at Guerrero and at Potrero in 2020. Long-planned safety improvements are coming to this dangerous high-volume street, and can’t happen soon enough.
Walk SF leads the Vision Zero Coalition, the Senior and Disability Working Group of the Vision Zero Coalition, and San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets. Jointly these groups are pushing for the City’s next Vision Zero Action Strategy to be more aggressive in addressing traffic safety.
“Traffic fatalities are predictable and preventable. There are many proven solutions to reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes,” said Medeiros.
In 2014, 13 City agencies committed to Vision Zero and end severe and fatal crashes by 2024: the Mayor’s Office, SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), SF Dept of Public Health, SF Police Department, SF Public Works, SF Planning Department, SF District Attorney, SF County Transportation Authority, SF Dept of Environment, SF Fire Department, SF Unified School District, SF International Airport, and SF Recreation & Parks.
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Walk San Francisco (‘Walk SF’) advocates for safe streets for everyone who walks, which is everyone. Since our founding in 1998, Walk SF has been leading the way to make San Francisco a pedestrian-first city where people of every age and ability can walk safely. Learn more.
San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets is made up of survivors and families whose loved ones have been killed or injured in traffic crashes. Learn more.