PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 5, 2021
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 hit and killed on Saturday; marks fifth pedestrian death of 2021
San Francisco, Calif. – Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the person who was killed at 3rd Street and Folsom Street on Saturday afternoon, April 3, 2021. The victim was identified by SFPD as a 78-year-old man.
“Our hearts go out to those loved ones suffering in the aftermath of this tragedy,” 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 victims’ families and friends however possible.
The intersection of 3rd Street and Folsom Street is a very dangerous and busy intersection. 3rd and Folsom are both designated “high-injury” streets, the 13% of San Francisco streets where 75% of severe and fatal traffic crashes occur. There have been five crashes where pedestrians were injured in the past five years at this intersection.
3rd Street and Folsom Street are both wide streets with four lanes of one-way traffic. For too long, South of Market (SoMa) streets have been designed to prioritize fast-moving traffic, not the people who live there. A fifth of SoMa neighborhood residents are older adults , half of whom have a disability.
“This tragedy is all-too-predictable given the state of our streets,” said Medeiros. “The funding and focus on fixing the most dangerous streets is sorely inadequate. And another precious life has been lost.”
“The City is six years into its commitment to end severe and fatal crashes by 2024: Vision Zero,” said Medeiros. “Far too many high-injury streets still haven’t had safety improvements, keeping all of us at risk when we are simply crossing the street.”
There are 168 miles of high-injury streets, and as of October 2020, 86 miles (51%) were not yet in any stage of planning or completion of safety improvements.
Saturday’s fatality marks the fifth pedestrian death of 2021. Edda Cabrera, a 79-year-old woman, was fatally hit at Mission and Geneva on March 2, 2021. Twelve-year-old Jesai Andrews was fatally hit on his skateboard at Ingerson and Redondo Streets on February 10, 2021. Twenty-six-year-old Sheria Musyoka was fatally hit at Lake Merced Boulevard and Higuera Street on February 4, 2021. An 85-year-old man was fatally hit at 24th and San Jose Avenue on January 19, 2021.
Walk San Francisco recently released district-by-district traffic safety report cards (go to walksf.org/reportcards). The report cards show there are designated high-injury streets in every district, and every district has unacceptable numbers of people being hurt and killed.
Citywide, around 30 people are killed and nearly 600 severely injured each year on San Francisco streets. Each year, pedestrians make up the largest share of the victims. Seniors typically make up 40-50% of pedestrian fatalities, even though they are only 15% of the population.
The “high-injury network”, the 13% of streets where 75% of traffic crashes occur, disproportionately fall in the City’s Communities of Concern: high levels of households with minority or low-income status, seniors, people who have limited English proficiency, people who have disabilities, and more.
“Streets can be designed and enforced to keep people safe,” said Medeiros. “But it will take new levels of commitment from City leaders and sufficient, dedicated funding to make Vision Zero a reality.”
In 2014, 13 City agencies committed to Vision Zero: 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.
# # #
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.