Henrico County has just had its 10thpedestrian fatality of the year, an 89-year old woman found on the sidewalk along Laburnam Avenue Thursday night , two blocks from her home. Henrico leads the Richmond area in pedestrian fatalities according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. And as Charles Fishburne reports will step up their campaign of education and enforcement in the New Year.
Transcript:
Charles Fishburne: Monday Afternoon, Henrico police were at one of the county’s worst spots, a bus stop at Broad and Willow Lawn, taking photos and documenting dangerous behavior.
Lt. Matt Pecka: We observed people stepping out in front of the buses.
Fishburne: Henrico Police Lt. Matt Pecka
Lt. Pecka: Leaving the sidewalk that is provided and stepping directly out into six lanes of traffic on West Broad.
Fishburne: There have been 80 crashes in Henrico involving pedestrians this year, two last week. One was an elderly female.
Lt. Pecka: Then we also had a bicyclist, wearing all the appropriate clothing, safety gear, also struck, but neither driver stopped to take account of those crashes.
Fishburne: That’s a felony, and police promise to crackdown. But the county is also improving intersections and adding sidewalks. Also, the county may leave informational brochures in buses.
Lt. Pecka: Because we really want everyone to go home at the end of the day.
Charles Fishburne, VPM News