News

February 15, 2019
Henrico Police to Conduct Pedestrian Traffic Crash Study and Awareness Campaign

The Henrico County Police Division recently conducted its annual review of pedestrian-involved crashes. Below are the statistical differences between 2017 and 2018.

*A pedestrian is any person on foot, walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting, or lying down who is involved in a motor vehicle traffic crash. A traffic crash is defined as an incident that involved one or more motor vehicles where at least one vehicle was in transport and the crash originated on a public trafficway, such as a road or highway. Crashes that occurred on private property, including parking lots and driveways, are excluded.

Based on initial analysis of crash data from 2017 and 2018, three trends have emerged: pedestrians wearing dark and/or non-reflective clothing; pedestrians under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs; pedestrian failure to cross at controlled intersection. These trends are not representative of all pedestrian-involved crashes.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's latest nationwide data, in 2016 a pedestrian was killed in a traffic crash on average every 1.5 hours. While pedestrian crash data for Henrico County does not mirror this tragic statistic, data does show an increase in pedestrian-involved crashes.

Henrico Police remains diligent in helping to prevent these tragic accidents. In the coming months the Police Division will spearhead regional partnerships and collaborations to raise awareness of pedestrian safety, including the launch of "Watch Your Step," a campaign centered around educating the public on how to stay safe while sharing our roadways. Subsequently, Henrico Police will develop and implement safety measures and awareness campaigns based on the study's findings.

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Lieutenant  L. C. Hummel
Henrico Police Division
Public Information Officer
(804) 501-4869 (office)
(804) 986-1605 (cell)