Another Driver Kills Another Pedestrian

Mayor Elicker talks a big game about safe streets, says it's partly why he got into politics. Already we've had 4 preventable traffic deaths on his watch. And where is he???

We need real action.

There is near zero context to any of these accidents and no follow up to them so an assessment can be made as to fault and circumstances. As a driver, I've had people literally walk into the crosswalk at a light controlled intersection into traffic; and others wearing black on a rainy night walking next to parked cars on Dixwell Avenue and were almost impossible to see. Let's see some reporting on the details of these accidents.

[Paul: I agree. We're trying! The police department has felt hesitant to release many details about incidents that remain "under investigation" for six months to a year.]

Yes I agree. Let's please remind Mr. Elicker to please not to forget to use his magic powers which stop people from drunk driving.

Stepped-up enforcement is critical here — drivers need to know that there are real consequences if they behave recklessly.

But enforcement alone isn't going to solve this problem. Drivers speed because the roads accommodate speeding. Pedestrians cross mid-block because the crosswalks aren't adequate. We need to narrow roadways with bike lanes, bus lanes, etc.

As a generally nervous driver, I am often startled by pedestrians and cyclists on the road at night in dark clothing with no reflectors. Part of the answer may be an informational campaign around reflectors and bike safety, maybe handing out free reflective stickers.

(Clearly drivers are careless, speeding, using their phones -- I don't want to absolve them at all by saying this.)

Friday night I was driving home down the boulevard. I couldn't pass because over a 100 cars took it over street racing. I called the PD and nothing was done. How is it ok that this goes on???

@WoosterSquared:
The nerve of Mayor Elicker not singlehandedly solving an ongoing and complex problem after two whole months in office!!

It's not just pedestrians being killed. A friend of the family lost a loved one to a drag racing a##hole who blind sided him and flipped his car three times. Of course the jerk fled the scene. Another reason why we need traffic cams. Red lights cams to start. I am tired of waving so drivers know I have the right of way when they is no TURN ON RED. I've stopped walking to work because it is unbelievably dangerous for us. No one is in that much of a rush. And yes there are plenty of morons walking around at night in dark clothes and will cross in the middle of traffic. When I used to visit I could not believe the nerve of some people. However, you are still responsible for knowing your surroundings and keeping at the speed limit. Look for kids playing, old folks who can't make it across in 15 secs. At the end of the day the driver is responsible.

@LorcaNotOrca

Guess you missed all the times last year when King Justin blamed Mayor Harp every time a gun went off in the city...

Stop the hysterics! How the heck can police have prevented an idiot getting in his car and driving drunk, or the Mayor for that matter. Agenda-driven nonsense... and the media plays right into it to get views and ratings.

This is a crisis. Elicker, please start ticketing people for speeding, like the police did under DeStefano for a couple years after a slew of traffic deaths in 2008, and immediately narrowing dangerous streets throughout the city with concrete barriers, like the city did 10 years ago with River Street and Long Wharf Drive.

The same crowd that's saying, "eh, they're not lit up like Christmas trees, what do they expect?" would be calling for martial law if there had been four murders in the same time period.

Mayor Elicker needs to go to the Governor and ask for a state-funded special task force to combat reckless driving in New Haven.

Said task force could be paid out of the proceeds from the steppes up ticketing and enforcement.

We need to change the driving culture before more lives are lost. This is truly getting out of hand.