255 people hit this year: Police data shows which Raleigh roads are most dangerous for pedestrians

More than two dozen people have been killed while trying to cross Raleigh roads this year, according to police.

On Tuesday evening, Ronge Mwanakyungu, 27, attempted to cross New Bern Avenue in an area not designated with a crosswalk. Just days before, a 12-year-old girl's pink shoe sat in the middle of Hillsborough Street after she was hit by a car Friday at about 7:30 p.m.

The driver sped away, and the girl died in the hospital, Raleigh police said.

Girl dies from hit-and-run crash in Raleigh; police looking for suspect vehicle

Those two people are among five who have died in the city in November.

"They're tragic to so many people that are involved," said Brian Mayhew, a traffic safety engineer with N.C. Department of Transportation. "They have such a huge impact and a lasting impact for so many people."

The untimely and tragic deaths of 25 people thus far this year serve as a reminder of the dangers pedestrians can face in Raleigh and the tragic consequences that can occur.

From Jan. 1 to Nov. 25, 2022, drivers have hit more pedestrians in Raleigh than any of the last four years in the same period, according to department reports. This year, 255 people have been hit by drivers in that time frame.

The rebound in pedestrian-involved accidents is concerning for transportation experts like Mayhew. He says, following these incidents, investigators review conditions in those areas, including looking at traffic signals, signage and crosswalks. The data shows that almost two-thirds of all pedestrian crashes since 2018 happened in areas where none of those traffic controls were in place.

"Many pedestrians will want to take the shortest path, which is a very normal thing for most most humans to do," said Mayhew. "It's the same thing with drivers -- we prefer to take the most direct route in our vehicle. Pedestrians and cyclists often want to do the same thing."

Mayhew urges all people to follow traffic laws especially with dusk falling earlier, the danger is increased. Most of these crashes happen in late summer, early fall. Between August and October of this year, there were 91 pedestrian-involved accidents. While tragedy hit close to home for the WRAL team in January, that's the month when the fewest pedestrians were killed. 

Data shows most of these crashes happen between 9 and 10 p.m. and during the evening and morning commutes.

While pedestrian crashes are concentrated in and around downtown Raleigh, main thoroughfares have higher numbers of pedestrian-involved incidents reported.

In and around Hillsborough Street, where the 12-year-old was struck, at least 11 pedestrians have been hit by cars this year, a map of collisions shows.

On Capital Boulevard, at least 27 pedestrians have been hit this year, according to the police reports. On New Bern Avenue, 17 have been hit. On Glenwood Avenue, 16 have been hit. All those are increases over pre-pandemic years, reports show.

Those locations aren't surprising to Mayhew. He says these roadways are sometimes considered hotspots.

"Some of the characteristics of those locations can be where the roadway is really wide," said the NC DOT engineer. "There's reasons for pedestrians to be there, such as bus stops or transit, jobs, groceries and convenience stores, things like that. And where the road is wide or where the roads are at higher speeds than those are some times where we can see more risky behavior both by drivers and pedestrians."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that someone hit by a driver traveling 40mph has a 73% chance of suffering severe injuries or dying.

“Speed kills,” said Scarlette Gardner, the state division director for safety, health and workers compensation. “That is fundamentally why it's very important to watch your surroundings when you're driving, maintain a safe speed, especially giving consideration to people that are walking, perhaps, right by the roadway where no sidewalk is available.”

Increasing pedestrian access to those amenities is a priority for many areas in the state, Mayhew says.

"The City of Raleigh and many cities across the state want their city to be appealing and they want their city to be appealing to those that that walk that bike and for those that drive," said Mayhew. "I think safety for all road users becomes important both the city and at the state level."

And Gardner says investing in that now is imperative to ensure the trend changes.

"As the city continues to grow, it's definitely a concern that we will have more deaths, more injuries if we do not put the infrastructure in place to keep pedestrians safe," said Garnder. "[We] also [must] educate, not only the persons that are living downtown in Raleigh as the population continues to increase here, but those that are working here as well on a daily basis and those that are transiting through for whatever reason."

WalkSmartNC gives these safety tips for pedestrians and drivers.