An 83-year-old pedestrian hit by a vehicle at Ocean and Lee avenues last Saturday has died, the San Francisco Police Department confirmed Friday.
Police officers arrived at the scene around 10 p.m. and found the victim suffering from life-threatening injuries. Medics took the victim to the hospital, where they later died of their injuries. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash stayed at the scene. Police did not release any other details about the crash. The investigation is ongoing.
The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not released the victim’s name.
The pedestrian safety advocacy group Walk San Francisco said in a press statement that the latest traffic fatality marked the 11th pedestrian death so far this year. City data showed that seven pedestrians who have died in traffic crashes have been seniors, including the latest victim. Twenty-four pedestrians died from injuries sustained on city streets last year.
“We can measure our city’s safety by how safe our kids and seniors are,” Marta Lindsey, the communications director for advocacy group Walk San Francisco, said in a statement. “By this measure, it’s clear San Francisco isn’t doing nearly enough when it comes to traffic safety.”
The latest pedestrian death comes as the city’s Vision Zero policy and goal to end traffic fatalities by 2024 expired last year. Advocacy groups rallied earlier this year at City Hall for Mayor Daniel Lurie and other city leaders to adopt a new policy and to recommit to Vision Zero.
The Ingleside Light reached out to the offices of District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar and District 11 Supervisor Chyanne Chen for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
Melgar introduced a resolution on July 29 calling on city agencies, including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the police, Public Works and the school district to develop plans for implementing traffic safety changes. Called the San Francisco Street Safety Act, the proposed resolution recommits the city to traffic safety.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, for example, has been asked to release a plan to replace its Residential Traffic Calming Program by the end of 2026. The program ended on July 1 due to budgetary constraints.
A number of traffic safety measures have been implemented on Ocean Avenue, one of the streets the city deems dangerous based on the number of collisions, such as daylighting, automated speed ticketing cameras and a lowered speed limit. More safety improvements will be implemented as part of the ongoing K Ingleside Rapid Project.
