2 people hit by cars in West Sacramento less than three hours apart
WEST SACRAMENTO -- Two people were hit while traveling on West Sacramento roads Monday, one on a bicycle and one on a scooter.
West Sacramento police say, just before 2:30 p.m., a semi-truck hit a man on his bicycle near Industrial and Stone boulevards. The victim was in his early twenties and died at the scene. The driver of the truck stayed on the scene and police say they do not believe drugs or alcohol to be a factor in the crash.
Then, less than three hours later and less than three miles away at 5th and C streets, the West Sacramento Police Department responded to another crash after a man on an electric scooter was hit by a vehicle that then fled the scene.
Police have not yet provided an update on this crash to the public but CBS13 crews on the scene saw the male victim was responsive and was taken to the hospital.
Sacramento-area advocates for safer streets say these two crashes are only the latest drop in the bucket to what's become an incredibly troubling trend: a rise in pedestrian and cyclist crashes.
"If dozens of people were being hurt or killed in our playgrounds, we would shut down every single playground and do an investigation until we found out what the cause of that problem is," said Isaac Gonzalez with the advocacy group Slow Down Sacramento. "But people are hit and killed in Sacramento almost every day by cars and we do little to nothing with any urgency to change the roadway."
Gonzalez said the entire region needs a wake-up call when it comes to prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist safety on the roads.
Sacramento-area leaders have said pedestrian and cyclist crashes have reached crisis levels, even prompting the city of Sacramento to consider declaring a state of emergency over pedestrian deaths.
Statewide, California's pedestrian fatality rate is almost 25% higher than the national average.
"We can do things such as temporary bollards, paint, striping, planters, all kinds of things we can add to the roadway which don't take a lot of time or money," Gonzalez said.
Though these two crashes Monday happened in broad daylight, data show most pedestrian and cyclist crashes happen when it's dark outside.
"The vast majority of our increases in injuries and deaths for pedestrians and cyclists is happening at night. So as the time changes and the season changes and it gets dark earlier during that afternoon commute, unfortunately, we can expect to see more incidents like this in the very near future. That's why we want everyone to do their part. If you're a driver, slow down," Gonzalez said.
October also marks National Pedestrian Safety Month. The State of California is urging drivers to be more aware when driving, especially at night.