Tag: monthly crash review ’21

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, March 2021

Each month in 2021, we plan to post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from the previous month, and share any trends that we see. Last month, we took a look at the 4 fatal crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in February. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in March 2021. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Information by Year.” The Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

Of the 23 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in March in the MassDOT Crash portal, 7 were people walking. We’ve identified 1 additional fatal incident during March covered in the news media:
- 1 person lost their life in Malden when a mechanic with a suspended license crashed an SUV through the door of an auto body shop and struck her as she was walking on the sidewalk. View a segment from WCVB about 86-year-old Athena Hartwell, who walked this section of sidewalk almost every day with her walker: “Neighborhood mourns woman killed in SUV crash.“
- Updated 4/29/2021: We listed a crash that occurred in Sterling as not being in the portal for March, but this crash occurred in April and is listed. We apologize for the error. We’ve updated this post accordingly.
The crash portal does not include names. The names of 7 of the people walking who died have not been made public yet; unlike previous months in 2021, news articles were more difficult to find for many of these crashes.
The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in March was 59.6.
3 of the crashes all have 12:00AM listed as the time; it is possible data was incomplete when initially submitted.
At least 4 of the crashes were hit & runs (as referenced in news articles).
The name of the person driving was not identified in any of the crashes in news articles that we found.

Date	3/3/2021, 12:00 AM
Location	800 Morrissey Blvd.
Town	Boston
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	56
Sex	M

A 56-year old man was hit and killed on Morrissey Boulevard in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Morrissey Boulevard is under MassDCR jurisdiction. We have not been able to find additional information about this crash.

Date	3/7/2021, 12:00 AM
Location	232 Stafford Rd.
Town	Monson
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	94
Sex	F

A 94-year old woman was hit and killed on Stafford Road. According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Stafford Rd/Rt 32 is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are no sidewalks on this road. We have not been able to find additional information about this crash.

Date	3/7/2021, 12:40 AM
Location	Auburn St. + Summer St.
Town	Bridgewater
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	34
Sex	M

Ian Dalgliesh, a 34-year old man, was found unconscious in the roadway at the intersection of Auburn and Summer streets in Bridgewater around 12:40 a.m. on Sunday, March 7. WCVB reported three weeks after that crash that police were still seeking help to find the driver who left the scene. The article noted that the intersection is located in a residential neighborhood, with stop signs located at all four corners.

Google Streetview shows a sidewalk on one side of the street for one leg of the intersection. It also shows a house on the corner with guardrails at the intersection, possibly indicating that drivers have driven recklessly in this area before.

Date	3/10/2021, 7:00 PM
Location	Meadow St. + Chicopee St.
Town	Chicopee
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	53
Sex	M

A Chicopee man was hit & seriously injured in a hit & run crash on March 10th near Rivers Park. He died later in the month from his injuries. The Chicopee Police released photos of a dark colored SUV on March 25th as part of the investigation to track down the driver. While there is a signalized crosswalk near the Meadow/Chicopee PVTA bus stop at one corner of Rivers Park, there are no crosswalks at the intersection of Meadow & Chicopee Streets.

According to Streetview, a crosswalk across Chicopee Street nearby that did not have curb ramps was removed between 2016 & 2017 during street & sidewalk reconstruction at the corner of Chicopee, Margaret & Whitman Streets.

Date	3/12/2021, 9:40 PM
Location	189 Chestnut Hill Ave.
Town	Boston
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	77
Sex	M

A 77 year old man was hit and killed on Chestnut Hill Ave in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood. We have not been able to find additional information about this crash.

Date	3/17/2021, 12:00 AM
Location	511 Broadway
Town	Everett
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	67
Sex	M

A 67-year-old man was hit and killed on Broadway in Everett. We have not been able to find additional information about this crash.

Date	3/25/2021, 8:10 PM
Location	Parker St. + Ellery St.
Town	Springfield
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	40
Sex	M

A 40-year old man was hit and killed on March 25th at Parker Street & Ellery Street in Springfield. Ellery Street is a private way. Parker Street has 2 travel lanes in each direction, and is at least 48 feet wide curb to curb. While WWLP reported breaking news on March 25th that a crash may have involved a motorcycle at this location, we have not been able to find additional information about this crash. [Update, 3/23/2022: this was re-categorized as a motorcycle crash.]

Updates
If you have an update about a community member who was killed in one of these crashes, please contact Brendan so we can update our . WalkBoston has maintained a list each year since 2016, pulling the information from news reports, social media, and from people like you that share the information with us.
Yearly trackers: |||||

Reminder about the data from the MassDOT portal
DISCLAIMER: The compilation of data is based on preliminary data we receive from a variety of local sources. Some of the data may differ slightly from information provided by NHTSA as this dashboard does not use imputation methods. Information is subject to change when/if updated information becomes available. Data updated daily as reported by police departments.

*Updated 4/29/2021: We listed a crash that occurred in Sterling as not being in the database for March, but this crash occurred in April and is listed. We apologize for the error. We’ve updated the post accordingly.

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, February 2021

Each month in 2021, we plan to post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from the previous month, and share any trends that we see. Last month, we took a look at the 5 fatal crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in January. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in February 2021. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Information by Year.” The Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

Of the 19 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in February in the MassDOT Crash portal, 4 were people walking.
3 of those 4 crashes were on limited access highways. In 2 of those crashes, tractor trailer drivers struck and killed a driver who exited a vehicle after it had broken down.
The crash portal does not include names. The names of 2 of the people walking who died have not been made public yet.
The name of the person driving was not identified in any of the 4 crashes in news articles.
2 people lost their lives at a construction site in Boston in February when a co-worker hit them with a vehicle, pushing them into an open trench. That incident is not listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal. The Boston Globe wrote at least two follow up stories about 33-year-old Jose Carlos Figueroa-Gutierrez and 27-year-old Jordan Romero: “One day later, makeshift memorial for two construction workers only sign of tragedy in Boston,” “A sister mourns for brother killed at downtown Boston construction site.”

Date	2/2/2021, 11:30 PM
Location	I-90 EAST, MM 87.0
Town	Oxford
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	33
Sex	M

A 33 year old Hartford man was struck and killed on on I-90 (the MassPike) by the driver of a tractor trailer. WHDH reported that he was hit after his Toyota Camry broke down and he got out of the car to examine the problem.

Date	2/8/2021, 5:55 PM
Location	418 Winthrop Ave.
Town	Lawrence
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	70
Sex	F

A 70 year old woman was hit and killed on Winthrop Ave (Rt 114) on the North Andover / Lawrence line. The Boston Globe reported that the scene of the crash on Route 114 was near the North Andover Mall. Rt 114 is 4 lanes (2 travel lanes each direction) in front of the North Andover Mall and 3 lanes after the driveway intersection. There is only a sidewalk on one side of the street. According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Winthrop Ave/Rt 114 is under MassDOT jurisdiction.

According to Google Streetview, the sidewalk is relatively new and under construction as of November 2019. There is only a sidewalk on one side of the street, but it did not exist prior to November 2019. New curb ramps are in place but only go across the driveway entrance, not Rt 114. The nearest crosswalks across Rt 114 are 0.9 miles away from each other, with the shopping center roughly in between. A housing development is also on the other side of the street from the shopping center.

Date	2/13/2021, 5:55 AM
Location	I-90 EAST, MM 116.2
Town	Framingham
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	57
Sex	M

Mustapha Faddi, a 57 year old Marlborough man, was struck and killed on I-90 (the MassPike) by the driver of a tractor trailer. Mustapha’s Nissan Murano broke down and he got out of the car to examine the problem. The Patch shared that this was the second fatal crash on the MassPike in February involving a disable vehicle & tractor trailer.

Date	2/27/2021, 11:40 PM
Location	I-93 NORTH, south of EXIT 33
Town	Medford
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	22
Sex	F

Madeleine Fox, a 22 year old woman, was hit and killed after she got out of her friend’s car on I-93. NBC Boston reports that investigators are working to identify a description of the vehicle or vehicles that might have hit her.

Updates
If you have an update about a community member who was killed in one of these crashes, please contact Brendan so we can update our . WalkBoston has maintained a list each year since 2016, pulling the information from news reports, social media, and from people like you that share the information with us.
Yearly trackers: |||||

Reminder about the data from the MassDOT portal
DISCLAIMER: The compilation of data is based on preliminary data we receive from a variety of local sources. Some of the data may differ slightly from information provided by NHTSA as this dashboard does not use imputation methods. Information is subject to change when/if updated information becomes available. Data updated daily as reported by police departments.

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, January 2021

Each month in 2021, we plan to post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from the previous month, and share any trends that we see. Last month, we took a look at the year 2020 in review. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in January 2021. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Information by Year.” The Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

Of the 20 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in January in the MassDOT Crash portal, 5 were people walking.
3 of those 5 crashes were hit & runs.
The crash portal does not include names. The names of 2 of the people walking who died have not been made public yet.
The name of the person driving was only identified in 1 of the 5 crashes in news articles.

Date	1/2/2021, 11:00 PM
Location	200 Locust St.
Town	Springfield
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age
Sex	M

An unidentified man was killed in a hit and run crash on Locust Street in Springfield. There have been no follow up articles that we’ve seen identifying the person who died, or anything about the person that fled the scene. WesternMassNews says the Police Department has located the car and vehicle owner, and expects more from the District Attorney’s office.

Date	1/5/2021, 11:30 AM
Location	Chelsea St. + 13th St.
Town	Boston
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	92
Sex	M

Francis McGrath, a 92 year old man, was killed in a hit and run crash on Chelsea Street in Charlestown. The driver dragged him for nearly a mile. The crash location is listed as Chelsea St & 13th (entrance to the Charlestown Navy Yard), while StreetsblogMass reports the Boston Police said it happened even further back at Chelsea St & Terminal St. While there had been speculation that the driver of a large truck was involved, there have been no follow up articles that we’ve seen about the person that left the scene. We spoke to the Boston Herald about the safety issues large vehicles present for people walking/biking, and the increase of drivers speeding during the coronavirus pandemic.

Date	1/13/2021, 7:19 PM
Location	235 Main St.
Town	Oxford
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	55
Sex	F

Wendy Hibbard was crossing Main Street in Oxford when a driver hit and killed her. Based on Google Maps Street View, a crosswalk across Main Street was made ADA-compliant sometime between October 2018 and October 2019. The street is one lane in each direction with a sidewalk on each side, but it looks to be approximately 50 feet from curb to curb using the measuring tool on Google Maps. According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Main Street/Rt12 is under MassDOT jurisdiction.

Date	1/19/2021, 9:30 PM
Location	38 Upland Rd.
Town	Belmont
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	35
Sex	M

District Attorney Marian T. Ryan’s office shared on January 25th that Dean Kapsalis, 54 of Hudson, will face additional charges of murder and leaving the scene causing death in connection with striking and killing Henry Tapia on Upland Road in Belmont. Kapsalis was previously arraigned on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a civil rights violation causing injury and leaving the scene causing injury. The Boston Globe reported that “since getting a driver’s license around 1987, Kapsalis has been cited for speeding at least 17 times, was involved in at least 7 surcharge crashes, and had his right to drive suspended at least 6 times, usually for a cluster of traffic violations in a short period of time, according to RMV records.”

Date	1/23/2021, 8:42 PM
Location	687 Ocean St.
Town	Marshfield
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	56
Sex	M

An unidentified 56 year old Marshfield man was hit and killed on Ocean Street in Marshfield. An article from 95.9 WATD quotes a police lieutenant that the “early investigation shows the victim was walking in the roadway along a dark stretch.” The street is one lane in each direction, but there is only a sidewalk on one side of the street.

Updates
If you have an update about a community member who was killed in one of these crashes, please contact Brendan so we can update our . WalkBoston has maintained a list each year since 2016, pulling the information from news reports, social media, and from people like you that share the information with us.
Yearly trackers: |||||

Reminder about the data from the MassDOT portal
DISCLAIMER: The compilation of data is based on preliminary data we receive from a variety of local sources. Some of the data may differ slightly from information provided by NHTSA as this dashboard does not use imputation methods. Information is subject to change when/if updated information becomes available. Data updated daily as reported by police departments.

2020 Statewide Fatal Crashes – Year in Review

Each month in 2021, we plan to post about the fatal crashes from the previous month, and share any trends that we see. For January, we wanted to look back at the previous year. The information in the chart below is taken from the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Information by Year.”

Type	2019	2020
Bicyclist	5	10
Motorcycle operator	47	51
Motorcycle passenger	2	3
Operator	166	186
Other	1	2
Passenger	38	33
Pedestrian	76	50
Total Fatal Crashes	335	335

There were 335 fatal crashes statewide in Massachusetts in 2020, the same number of people that died on Massachusetts roads as in 2019.

This dangerous trend was identified as early as May, and MassDOT urged people driving to slow down. At the time, MassDOT reported that the rate of fatalities on Massachusetts roadways doubled in April: with 50% less traffic recorded on major highways, 28 individuals died in crashes, compared with the month of April 2019 when there were 27 deaths on roadways in the state. Later in the year, we helped develop PSA graphics through the Department of Public Health’s Mass in Motion program for use by community coordinators focused on drivers & the need to slow down for everyone’s safety.

There were significantly less fatal pedestrian crashes this year than last year – but almost every other mode of transportation saw higher fatal crashes.

Pedestrian Fatalities by Age in 2020? Disproportionately older adults.

Adults 65+ accounted for 40% of the pedestrian fatalities in the last year. How does that compare to the population? According to the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative’s 2018 MA Healthy Aging Data Report, about 15% of people in Massachusetts are age 65+.

Chart from MassDOT crash portal – Pedestrian Fatalities by Age in 2020. Available at https://apps.impact.dot.state.ma.us/cdp/dashboard-view/39

The includes names of many of the 58 people walking who were hit/killed in 2020.

If you have an update about a community member who was killed in one of these crashes, please contact Brendan so we can update the list. WalkBoston has maintained a list each year since 2016, pulling the information from news reports, social media, and from people like you that share the information with us. Yearly trackers: | | | | |

The MassDOT portal says 50 for 2020, but the WalkBoston list says 58. Why the discrepancy?

It is possible there were crashes that were not on roadways. We compile our pedestrian crash fatality list manually via news & social media alerts in order to give communities more information to help push for safer streets, and to make sure to remember there are people behind the statistics. The MassDOT list may categorize crashes differently, just as the city of Boston Vision Zero Map does not include fatal crashes that take place on state roads, private property, or crashes on commuter rail tracks. (For example: the WalkBoston list includes Bernardin Etienne, 62, who was struck & killed in the MBTA Bus Yard in Charlestown on September 21st; Bernardin isn’t included on either MassDOT or BTD’s list since it took place in a parking lot.) Additional disclaimer from MassDOT crash portal: The compilation of data is based on preliminary data we receive from a variety of local sources. Some of the data may differ slightly from information provided by NHTSA as this dashboard does not use imputation methods. Information is subject to change when/if updated information becomes available.

The rolling 5 year average for pedestrian fatalities in Massachusetts will drop from 77 for the 2015-2019 period to 70 for the 2016-2020 period, the lowest 5 year average since 2009-2013.

These Performance Measures Were Developed By The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). You can access any state’s data at this link.

AAA Foundation Virtual Town Hall: Monday, February 1st, 11am

On Monday, February 1st at 11am, Executive Director Stacey Beuttell will be a panelist for the AAA Northeast Virtual Town Hall which will feature their recent study “Tread Carefully: Examining the Rise in Pedestrian Deaths,” examining data from 2009-2018. You can sign up here & ask a question in advance.