Crime
Data: More pedestrians are dying on Virginia’s roads
In 2018, 123 pedestrians died on the state’s roads — the highest death toll in a decade. Preliminary figures show that in 2019, at least 120 pedestrians died in traffic accidents in the commonwealth.
By Kelly Booth and Judi Dalati
On a Friday night in October, Katelyn Tilts was walking to a convenience store with a group of friends when she saw headlights coming at her.
“A car came around the corner really quickly and was swerving. The driver was swerving but started going directly at me and hit me head-on,” Tilts later told WTVR. “I remember thinking that it hurt so bad that I didn’t know how I would be able to make it until the ambulance got there.”
The hit-and-run incident left Tilts, a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University, hospitalized and on crutches. She survived, but many pedestrians hit by vehicles do not.
According to data from the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Department of Motor Vehicles, 123 pedestrians died on the state’s roads in 2018 — the highest death toll in 10 years.
Preliminary figures show that at least 120 pedestrians died in traffic accidents in the commonwealth last year.
Not only are more pedestrians being killed, but they also are making up a greater proportion of all traffic fatalities:
- In 2015, 10% of the people killed in roadway accidents in Virginia were pedestrians.
- That figure jumped to 16% the following year. Last year, it was 15%, according to VDOT and DMV data.
“The vast, overwhelming majority of people who die on our streets are killed by drivers of cars,” noted Ross Catrow, executive director of RVA Rapid Transit, an advocacy group for regional public transportation.
“And the further sad truth is that these deaths and serious injuries often go unnoticed, underreported, and, even worse, usually nothing is done to build better streets and make them safer for people,” Catrow wrote on Streets Cred, his website about urban issues affecting mid-sized American cities.
Catrow has pointed out that some people say pedestrians are at fault for the rising number of traffic accidents. He rejects that notion.
“I’m so ultra-tired of engineers, elected officials and everyone else blaming ‘distracted pedestrians’ for the increase in injuries on our roads,” he said on his “Good Morning, RVA” podcast.
Catrow advocates traffic-calming measures such as painted curb bulbs and posts that can narrow intersections, increase visibility and slow down drivers to prevent pedestrian accidents.
Some people blame elderly drivers for causing accidents. But 25% of the motorists involved in traffic accidents that have killed pedestrians since 2013 were in their 20s — and half of them were under 40. About 22% of the drivers involved in pedestrian fatalities were 60 and older.
Ralph Aronberg, a traffic engineer consultant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said some people in their early 20s have poor driving habits.
“Drivers in that age group are more likely to use social media such as Instagram on their cellphone, are more likely to have groups in vehicles leading to distractions and are less likely to realize the consequences of taking their eyes off the road,” he said.
Aronberg, whose firm focuses on accident reconstructions, said people in their early 20s are also more likely to drive at night, drink and drive, or be under the influence of THC or other mind-altering substances while operating a car.
Pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in Virginia since 2013 have ranged in age from infants to 96. About a third of the victims were under 30; slightly over a third in their 40s and 50s; and the rest 60 or older.
Since 2013, Fairfax has had the most pedestrian deaths — more than 80, according to VDOT data. Then come Henrico County (43), Norfolk (40), Richmond (31) and Newport News (27).
The roads with the most pedestrian fatalities during that time period were:
- Jefferson Avenue, Newport News — seven
- Route 11, Washington County — three
- South Street, Front Royal — three
- Southbound Route 288, Goochland County — three
- Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond — three
Weather was not a factor in most pedestrian deaths.
“Most vehicle-pedestrian accidents happen in good weather,” said Daniel Vomhof, a traffic safety expert in California and a member of the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstructionists.
More than 85% of the pedestrian fatalities in Virginia happened in clear or cloudy weather conditions, the VDOT data showed. About 13% occurred in rain, mist or fog, and 1% in snowy weather.
To stay safe, Vomhof recommends that pedestrians wear white or reflective shoes at night and light-colored clothing that doesn’t blend in with the surroundings.
“Visibility increases when the object is in eye contrast to the background,” Vomhof said.
If you are the victim in an accident scenario, and you’re able, virtually all auto insurance providers recommend obtaining as much information about the offending party as possible as it will be paramount in filing a claim. This can include the make, model, color, year, and license plate number of the vehicle involved. Sometimes the severity of the accident might prevent obtaining any information. If that is the case, identify any witnesses who might be able to corroborate any information regarding the accident.
About the data in this report:
The data for this project was downloaded from the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Virginia Crashes | Virginia Roads website. It covers every vehicle crash in the state from 2013 to July of this year.
The data set contains more than 828,000 records. We filtered it for pedestrian accidents (about 11,000) and then for fatal pedestrian accidents (660).
We analyzed the data using Microsoft Excel, aggregating the data by locality, weather conditions and other columns in the spreadsheet.
We also used the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicle’s online “Traffic Crash Data” tool to confirm and refine our analysis. We also ensured that the numbers were consistent with those published in the DMV’s report, 2018 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts.
Crime
Teen Summit RVA will bring together area students to share common concerns and solutions
The daylong event will be held on March 18th at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
Six hundred high school students from the Richmond area will gather at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Saturday, March 18, 2023, for Teen Summit RVA – the first in a series of annual meetings designed to engage and connect regional teens.
Teen Summit RVA 2023 will link high school students as they speak out against violence and seek solutions to daily challenges they face. Henrico County, the City of Richmond and Chesterfield County began collaborating on Teen Summit RVA in fall 2022.
The event will include panel discussions and interactions related to issues and concerns that students face daily – gun violence, drug use, mental health and equity in their school division and community. This diverse group of 14-to-18-year-olds also will be able to attend the [email protected] Regional Summer Opportunity Fair, which is presented by Virginia Career Works. Students will explore exhibits and learn about job, internship and volunteer opportunities as well as career and educational resources available to them.
Students have been selected by their schools to participate in Teen Summit RVA. While attendance is by invitation only, limited slots remain open. Any student from the participating school systems who would like to attend should contact their school’s guidance counselor.
“When students come together, their passion, creativity and hope for the future are greater than any challenge,” said Dr. Amy Cashwell, Superintendent of Henrico County Public Schools. “Teen Summit RVA is a tremendous step in bringing together students from across the region to make connections and spark solutions that cut across county and city borders. This is the start of something important for central Virginia.”
“Teen Summit RVA is a great opportunity for students to build their leadership skills and advocate for issues that impact their peers and our community. By listening to and building up our youth, we know we will see them lead us forward,” said Jason Kamras, Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools.
Students also will be able to express themselves by contributing to an art installation and recording their spontaneous responses to thought-provoking statements in an audio booth.
Other Teen Summit RVA experiences will cover Mental Health Matters, Changing the World and Keeping Schools Safe: An Open Discussion About School Safety.
Teen Summit RVA will be hosted by nationally known, Richmond-based comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White and is sponsored by the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond.
“This innovative summit for central Virginia teens offers opportunities for them to connect with each other, hear from experts and speak up about issues important to them,” said Dr. Mervin B. Daugherty, Superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
“We are so very excited for the youth of the region that this event is being held,” said Dr. Joe Casey, Chesterfield County Administrator. “So often with young people, groups and organizations talk around them and not to them. This entire event is centered on the idea of listening to students and hearing what matters most to them. It’s imperative that we understand the needs of all residents, including young people. We can’t wait to see what comes out of this event and those like it in the future.”
Media outlets are welcome to provide news coverage of Teen Summit RVA. For more information, contact Ron Carrington at (804) 690-3972 or [email protected]. Student participants will be available for interviews upon request.
More information can be found at teensummitrva.com.
Crime
Richmond Police warns public about possible towing fraud occurring in city
Detectives with the Richmond Police Department are conducting a wide-ranging investigation into reports of possible fraud by a towing company that could have resulted in unauthorized towing and/or the overcharging of fees.
Detectives with the Richmond Police Department are conducting a wide-ranging investigation into reports of possible fraud by a towing company that could have resulted in unauthorized towing and/or the overcharging of fees.
Following reports of a tow company towing vehicles from unauthorized areas and reports of the company overcharging individuals, Third Precinct detectives have been investigating the business for the past three months. Detectives have not yet released the name of the company due to the ongoing investigation, but efforts have been made and will continue to be made to contact possible victims of the fraud by mail.
Following a warrant that was served for the company and business records, detectives have identified the names and addresses of potential victims. These individuals have been sent a letter alerting them to the possible fraud and providing instructions for contacting RPD.
Detectives do not have complete information on all the possible victims. Anyone in the Richmond region who believes they may have been the victim of illegal practices by a towing company based in Richmond is asked to email [email protected] with any details that can be provided.
Illegal practices can be:
- Towing from unauthorized areas;
- Having been charged in excess of the maximum $135 for the initial tow;
- Having been charged in excess of the drop fee of $40 when the vehicle has been hooked but not yet towed away, and;
- Storage fees that accrued due to an illegal tow.
“This has been a challenging investigation,” said Third Precinct Commander Faith Flippo. “This case could involve hundreds of victims. I credit the steadfast and focused work by Third Precinct detectives in advancing this case in an effort to protect the public.”
Crime
Richmond 911 graduating largest number of new emergency communications officers in seven years
Public safety staffing, including 911, was especially hard hit nationwide by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of civil unrest in 2020 and has yet to completely recover.
The largest number of new Richmond 911 staffers in more than seven years will graduate from training this week. Thirteen new emergency communications officers will complete the Basic Dispatch Academy on Jan. 24.
The large number of graduates for the Richmond Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response is especially remarkable, given the current employment situation. The unemployment rate in Virginia is just 3 percent, lower than the national average of 3.5 percent, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for seasonally adjusted rates in December 2022.
“We are very happy to be adding these 13 valuable, trained staff members to our 911 call-taking and dispatching team. They will help to ensure that we are continuing to deliver excellent emergency services to Richmond while helping to relieve the stress and burden of mandatory overtime on our current staff,” said Stephen Willoughby, director of the department and coordinator of emergency management for the City of Richmond. “They are the result of a lot of hard work and perseverance from many in our department and the city to find ways to face and continue to overcome these staffing challenges.”
Public safety staffing, including 911, was especially hard hit nationwide by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of civil unrest in 2020 and has yet to completely recover. A national organization, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), describes it as a “911 staffing crisis,” which has affected Richmond as well.
The city of Richmond and the Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response has been working to alleviate the staffing challenges through salary increases, increased recruiting, accelerated training, and technology, such as remote call-taking and systems to help reduce the number of incoming calls.
Salaries for emergency communications officers were increased by 15 percent, effective with the Dec. 3 pay period. The starting salary for emergency communications officers without experience is $22.78 per hour with full City of Richmond benefits.
The Basic Dispatch Academy, the required training for all new 911 staff, has been put on an accelerated schedule, with four planned per calendar year.
The 13 new emergency communications officers who graduate on Jan. 24 will join 56.5 others out of a total authorized number of 85. The next academy is scheduled to begin on April 10, and students for that academy are in various stages of background checks and other preliminary screenings. The application period for the following academy, to begin in July is expected to open next week. More information is here: https://www.rva.gov/911/employment
The Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response has continued to provide excellent service and meet or exceed national standards. It received its initial national Public Safety Communications accreditation on May 4, 2019, from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., and has maintained its accreditation. It is one of only 2 percent of emergency communications centers nationwide that achieve this accreditation. It is also one of the busiest emergency communications centers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2022, it dispatched 298,665 calls for service, a large number for a community of Richmond’s size.
The department is asking for the public’s help:
- Call 911 only for an immediate need for police, fire, and emergency medical services. For issues that are NOT a life- or property-threatening emergencies, call the public safety non-emergency number, 804-646-5100. For other city services, call 311, visit rva311.com or use the RVA311 app. Non-emergency calls to 911 tie up call-takers from answering other 911 calls that are life-threatening emergencies.
- Remember that every call is answered in the order that it is received. Do not hang up, once 911 has been dialed. If your phone dials 911 by accident, stay on the line and explain to the call-taker that no help is needed.
- Callers might get a recording if more calls are coming in while call-takers are handling other calls. If so, callers should stay on the line. Your call will be answered in the order it was received as quickly as possible, usually within seconds. Please do not hang up in an attempt to call back, which will delay the response.
- If you are not receiving the service you need, we want to know so that we can fully investigate. Learn more here: https://www.rva.gov/911/comments
- More information on dos and don’ts for calling and texting 911 is here: https://www.rva.gov/911/getting-help-through-911.
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