At Least 7 People In County Were Hit By Cars In Under 24 Hours

ROCKVILLE, MD — Efforts to improve pedestrian safety in Montgomery County haven't produced significant change, officials said Tuesday after at least seven pedestrians were hit by cars in Montgomery County in less than 24 hours. Six pedestrian-involved collisions took place in a span of three hours on Monday. The seventh incident occurred Tuesday morning.

The accidents happened hours before the Montgomery County Council met with officials from the Maryland State Highway Administration to discuss pedestrian and traffic safety. At Tuesday afternoon's meeting, council members demanded that the state swiftly and thoroughly address their concerns.

"Our whole goal as a county in having passed the Vision Zero was to begin to change this conversation. And, clearly, it isn't changing fast enough," said transportation committee chairman Roger Berliner (D-District 1).

The county's Vision Zero plan aims to reduce severe and fatal collisions by 35 percent for drivers and their passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists by November 2019.

"I will just say to you from my own experience over the years — and I think we are beginning to change — it has been this whole mentality that cars and that speed rules," Berliner said. "And the faster we can get cars through intersections the better. This has to stop."

The latest victim was possibly struck by a vehicle shortly before 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, said county fire and rescue services spokesman Pete Piringer. The pedestrian was reportedly hit at the intersection of Cherry Laurel Lane and Coriander Drive in Gaithersburg.

Police encountered the victim, who was dead, on the side of the roadway. Capt. C. Thomas Jordan, a county police spokesman, said that it's too early to say how the person died. The department's Major Crimes Division is conducting an investigation.

Six other people were hit by cars while crossing the road Monday evening. The most serious incident happened in Rockville Town Center. Shortly before 5:30 p.m., a woman was hit by a Dodge Charger while crossing at the intersection of Beall Avenue and Gibbs Street. The pedestrian, whom police did not identify, was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police identified the driver as Anne Marie Sugrue, 24, of Gaithersburg. Sugrue was not injured in the incident, according to a press statement.

State Highway Administrator Greg Slater told the council that many Maryland counties are grappling with the same problem.

"We are really looking at our statewide numbers," Slater said. "The difference is each one of these instances is very different and unique. Pedestrian safety in rural areas is very different than pedestrian safety in urbanized areas. But as you can see, it's very much a statewide issue — and very much an issue we are focusing on."

He laid out a number of short-, mid-, and long-term solutions, including redesigning and rebuilding infrastructure. Slater said the agency was prepared to immediately implement two solutions in central business areas. The first solution is to reduce the speed limit to 30 mph. The second is to "implement continental striking" in crosswalks.

Slater emphasized that there is a correlation between a vehicle's speed and a victim's chances of survival.

"When a pedestrian is hit at 40 miles per hour, there's an 85 percent chance of death. But at 20 miles per hour it goes down to 5 percent," Slater said, citing data from the Federal Highway Administration.

In addition to holding a meeting with the SHA, council members have sent a letter to Gov. Larry Hogan, demanding that action be taken.

"We have seen a steady climb in vehicle collisions with pedestrians during the past year," the council said in an October 2018 letter. "To date in 2018 we have had 11 pedestrians perish along roadways in Montgomery County, compared to 11 all last year and 8 in 2016. Of the 11 who died this year, 9 were along State highways."

To read the letter in its entirety, click here.

The other pedestrian accidents that happened Monday are:

In Takoma Park, another pedestrian was hit by a vehicle. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. at the intersection of Carroll and Flower avenues, Piringer said in a tweet. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Shortly before 6 p.m., Piringer tweeted that another pedestrian had been hit — this time in front of a Staples store at Frederick Road and Observation Drive in Germantown. Piringer said the victim was also transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Over in Bethesda, a fourth pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at Elm Street and Arlington Road. Piringer tweeted about the incident a minute after posting about the pedestrian struck in Germantown.

The next minute, Piringer tweeted about a separate pedestrian-involved collision in Rockville. According to the tweet, the pedestrian was hit at Rockville Pike and Halpine Street.

A sixth person was struck at University Boulevard and East Franklin Street in Silver Spring Monday evening. Piringer said the pedestrian was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

In an effort to educate the public about street safety, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration’s published the following tips. The agency says pedestrians and drivers should review these tips year-round.

From the MDOT SHA:

For pedestrians:

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks whenever possible.
• Press the pedestrian signal button and wait for the walk signal.
• Always stop at the curb and look left, right and left before crossing a street.
• Watch for cars turning in or leaving driveways.
• Wear light or bright colored clothing.
• Pay attention and take off headphones while walking – no texting or playing games.

For drivers:

• Always stop for pedestrians.
• Follow traffic signs, signals and markings.
• Don’t run red lights.
• Observe posted speed limits. Speeding only makes it more difficult to stop for pedestrians.
• Keep your eyes on the road. It’s illegal to use a handheld phone/device or text while driving.

Image via Shutterstock

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