2008 State of the Valley - Traffic Safety

A while ago I asked a friend why they drive to the gym to "spin" instead of cycling and experiencing all of the joy and fun that comes along with it. They responded that cycling is dangerous. So that got me thinking if cycling is dangerous, just how dangerous is it compared to other modes of transportation. At the time one of my favorite authors, David Halberstam was killed in a local traffic accident near the Dumbarton Bridge in Menlo Park, CA. I also had 3 high school classmates (those that I have heard about) killed in separate traffic accidents. Strangely enough one was killed in New Zealand and the other in South Africa. Additionally two family members have been severely disabled due to car accidents.


When I was 17, I started studying for my private pilot's license and I always heard the reply, "Why do you fly? Its so dangerous". I began to notice that an aircraft accident; even if it only resulted in one or two fatalities, the event would make regional or national news headlines. Conversely, automobile accidents where usually buried on the 4th page of the local section, sometimes only involving one or two paragraphs.

So after the tragic accident involving Mr. Halberstam, I wondered - what if I monitored the news using new internet tools to highlight and document the tragic nature of auto accidents. After keeping track of such grim statistics, it made me conscious of just much, we as a society tend to ignore the violent costs of automobile traffic.

However it is not just vehicular fatalities that are sobering but the sheer number of pedestrian fatalities highly skewed to the most vulnerable part of the population; those due to age or financial circumstances that must walk in a culture designed for high speed auto traffic. In looking at the many cases of pedestrian casualties, three key characteristics stand out. Pedestrian casualties generally victimize the elderly, occur in the poorer areas of the valley (where massive arterial roads are not uncommon), and generally fall upon victims who were born outside the United States and its culture of cars.

To memorialize those that we last last year.

Silicon Valley Youth who died tragically in 2008.
6-13-2008, Breanna Slaughter-Eck, 12 (pictured)
1-9-2008 12:20am Jessica Stevens, 16
2-28-9 Alexander Moran Cabrera, 2
4-22-2008, 9:38 PM, Trieu Dinh, 19
8-2-2008, 4:50 AM Chrishtiana Acevedo, 18
10-10-2008 6:00 PM Moses Florez, 5 (killed on Razr Scooter)
10-12-2008, 9:15 am, Fernando Valencia, 18
10-12-2008, 9:15 am, unidentified passenger of Fernando Valencia, 12
12-18-2008, 12:05 PM, Matthew Mikaelsson. 17


See Map Below
Cyclists (Green)
1-10-2008 6:25PM, Hsien Tsun Wan, 77
2-28-08 Andrew Hale, 54
3-9-2008 Matt Peterson, 30 of San Francisco
3-9-2008 Kristy Gough, 31 of Oakland
6-13-2008, Breanna Slaughter-Eck, 12
10-5-2008, 9:45AM Bruce Finch, 58


Pedestrians (Red)
1-10-2008 as Estella Manalo Bacong, 50
1-4-2008 Randy Walke, 50
1-22-2008 1:55 AM, Leonardo Par Tzoc, 29
1-23-2008 2:40am Unidentified Hispanic Male 35-40
2-8-2008 Guoliang Chen, 76
2-15-2008 Douglas Carr, 61
2-21-2008 6:20 PM unidentified female
3-26-2008 Panfilio Prado, 51
2-21-2008 6:20 PM unidentified female
4-1-2008 6:30PM, Souang Athetsanathip,66
4-25-2008 11:30 Jose Del Carmen Cauigh-Medina, 51
8-2-2008 5:20 PM, Kenneth Stewart pedestrian, 69
8-10-2008, 8:45 PM, Oralia Puga-Ramirez, 73 of San Jose
8-10-2008, Enedina Oliva, 70
8-30-2008 8:40 AM, Maria Dolores Acosta Dereyes, 69
9-9-2008, 2:15 PM, unidentified male pedestrian, Capitol Exp. San Jose
9-13-2008, 9:30, unidentified pedestrian, 91, McLaughlin Ave. & Spokane Dr., San Jose
9-14-2008, 8:45 AM, Rodolfo Escurial, 68
9-14-2008, 8:45 AM, Aproniano Siruno, 71
10-10-2008 6:00 PM Moses Florez, 5 (killed on Razr Scooter)
10-11-2008, 1:20 PM, Margaret Garza, 45
10-26-2008, 7:00AM,Gary Ray Hedges, 66
12-2-2008 3:15 PM, Phyllis Seidman, 66
11-27-2008 7:40 PM , Jose Perez Rivera, 39
12-12-2008, 8:15 PM, Manuel Velasquez, 73


A noticeable but disturbing trend is evident in Pedestrian fatalities in the valley, with regard to age, ethnicity, and location.


Pedestrian Fatalities Age Breakdown (only those whose age is known)
Amt. %
Under 18 years of age 1 - 5%
18 - 30 years of age 1 - 5%
31- 40 years of age 2 - 9%
41- 50 years of age 1 - 5%
51- 65 years of age 5 - 22%
65+ years of age 12 - 54%

Note: These are not audited or verified traffic statistics but just a compilation of traffic casualties that have been reported in local newspapers.



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