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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 5, 2020

CONTACT: Jodie Medeiros, Executive Director, Walk SF, jodie@walksf.org, 415-596-1580 (cell); Marta Lindsey, Communications Director, Walk SF, marta@walksf.org, 617-833.7654 (cell)

Man killed by hit-and-run driver at Cesar Chavez and Evans
Area known to be dangerous for pedestrians

San Francisco, Calif.Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the man who was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run at Cesar Chavez Street and Evans Avenue the morning of Friday, October 2, 2020. 

“We grieve this life lost so senselessly to traffic violence,” said Jodie Medeiros, executive director of Walk San Francisco. 

Walk San Francisco and members of the San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets stand ready to support the victim’s family and friends however possible. 

The area where the victim was hit and killed is a known dangerous area for people walking. The speed limit is 35 MPH on Evans and 30 MPH on Cesar Chavez. If a person is hit at 20 MPH, they have a 90% chance of surviving. At 30 MPH, the survival rate drops to 60%. If a person is hit at 40 MPH, they have only a 20% chance of surviving.

“We need to slow our streets across the city, and especially near highways,” said Medeiros. “The faster a vehicle is going, the more likely its driver is to cause a traffic crash – and to severely injure or kill the person who is hit,” continued Medeiros. “Slower streets are safer streets.” 

Evans Avenue is designated as “high-injury”. High-injury streets are the 13% of streets where 75% of traffic crashes happen in San Francisco. SFMTA has plans to make safety improvements on Evans from Cesar Chavez to Third in 2021; a ‘Quick Build’ project is in development. 

“The safety improvements coming to Evans Avenue are too late for the man who died Friday,” said Medeiros. “The City must prioritize fixing all of the deadliest streets to prevent more tragedies.”

Both Cesar Chavez and Evans have significant truck traffic, and this stretch is between two dangerous sections on/off ramps for 101 (west end) and 280 (east end).

“People who live, work, and walk near highways face serious safety and health risks,” said Medeiros. “For far too long, these areas have been left behind in getting the improvements needed to protect pedestrians. This is an equity issue.”

Two additional fatal pedestrian crashes occurred this year already with similar circumstances on designated high-injury streets near highways – one just a half-mile away. On July 19, 2020, Michael Kinglsey was hit and killed by the driver of a vehicle when crossing the street at Bayshore Boulevard and Jerrold Avenue, near Highway 101. On June 18, 2020, Sergio Montes was hit and killed crossing the street at Dwight Street and San Bruno Avenue, near Highway 101.  In total, nine people have been killed walking in San Francisco so far this year.

Walk San Francisco has been calling on SFMTA to take a series of actions to make streets safer, including putting comprehensive policies in place to keep people safe in the crosswalk. Walk San Francisco is actively pushing for more red light cameras in San Francisco, as well as legislation to allow speed safety cameras in the city.

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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 at walksf.org.

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 at walksf.org/familiesforsafestreets.