Elderly pedestrian struck and killed by a driver: How traffic deaths should be reported

On a clear, late spring morning Tuesday June 1, 2021 around 8AM, an elderly female pedestrian on a morning walk was attempting to cross Allen Ave. at Las Lunas St. two blocks south of Orange Grove Blvd. in an unmarked crosswalk, when she was struck and killed by the driver of an SUV, who was travelling northbound in the far left lane. 

It has not been determined if the driver was speeding, distracted, or attempted to avoid the eldery pedestrian. No information regarding the driving record of the person who killed the elderly pedestrian has been made public. Neither the victim nor the driver’s identity have been released.   

The speed limit for this section of Allen Ave. is 35MPH. According to the Institute of Transportation Engineers, pedestrians have a 60% survival rate if hit by a driver going 30MPH and only a 20% survival rate if they are hit by a driver going 40MPH. 

The Pasadena Department of Transposition (DOT) has yet to release a statement regarding the crash. Information regarding the conditions of the corridor, including the past collision history has not yet been released. 

There are no substantial traffic calming measures in place on Allen Ave. The intersection where the elderly pedestrian was killed is an unmarked crosswalk, that is a legal place to cross the street but it has no pedestrian infrastructure such as bulbouts or a refuge island, that would reduce the crossing distance for a pedestrian. There is also no pedestrian signal, HAWK or Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon. The section of Allen Ave. is also without speed feedback signs.

According to the Pasadena DOT, data collected from between 2011-2020 revealed that pedestrians were involved in 5% of all collisions in Pasadena but accounted for 38% of traffic deaths in the city. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that  “27 percent of transportation fatalities in the U.S. were speed related” and In 2015, the NHTSA released a paper with the findings that “SUVs and pickups account for closer to 40 percent of pedestrian fatalities….pedestrians are 2-3 times more likely to suffer a fatality when struck by an SUV or pickup than when struck by a passenger car.”

The Allen Station Gold Line Safety Enhancement project that identified numerous safety improvements for the Allen Corridor between Villa St. and Colorado Blvd. is still seeking funding opportunities; it is unclear if or when any safety improvements will be made to Allen Ave. north of Villa St.  

Members of the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition send their condolences to the victim’s family and friends. We, as an organization, will continue to advocate for infrastructure investment that will reduce the number of fatalities and injuries that take place on our streets. Traffic fatalities are not inevitable and Pasadena should continuously be looking for ways to improve the design of our streets for the safety of all road users. 

*Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition, an all volunteer organization, continues to advocate for safer streets for all. New volunteers are welcome and can reach us at Facebook/IG/Twitter or at info@pasadenacsc.org.