Source: KiddNation / Kidd Nation
INDIANAPOLIS — New data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department shows more pedestrians are being hit and killed on city streets.
So far in 2022, IMPD says 21 pedestrians have been killed. In 2021 at this time, that number was 11 pedestrians. Three bicyclists have also been hit and killed this year, compared to two last year at this time.
The city says it is making investments like adding reflective flex posts to bike lanes, but they say the process of infrastructure updates is slow.
“One of the particular challenges is that we have this decades old infrastructure system that is being retrofit instead of some of our neighbors, for example, who are able to build some of this infrastructure,” said Ben Easley, a spokesperson for the Indianapolis Department of Public Works. “It’s much less complicated to build it new then it is to make changes as it happens. “
The following is the full data sent to us by IMPD.
Number of pedestrians fatally struck
2022 Year To Date: 21
2021 Year To date: 11
Number of bicyclists fatally struck
2022 Year To Date: 3
2021 Year To Date: 2
How many pedestrians and cyclists struck (non fatally)
2022 Year to Date: 130 Pedestrians, 42 Bikes
2021Year To Date: 120 Pedestrians 47 Bikes.
Number of hit & runs
2022 Year To Date: 3739
2021 Year To Date: 3991
Hit & run clearance numbers
2022 Year To Date: Fatal hit/run 50%
2021 Year To Date: Fatal hit/run 30%
Bike Indianapolis officials say there is one big factor they feel is creating issues with bikes and pedestrians.
“Speed and obeying the law,” said Damon Richards, the executive director of Bike Indianapolis. “The pandemic sort of emptied the streets so that people who were out driving drove much faster and as traffic has started to pick up again, they are not slowing down.”
Read more from WRTV here
