Dangerous Week on the Roads in Stamford, Norwalk Region
In Stamford, Norwalk, and the surrounding areas, it was a dangerous week on the roads for drivers and pedestrians.
Just ahead of the busy holiday travel season, it was a dangerous—and deadly—week on the roads across southwest Connecticut.
At least four pedestrians were hit by cars in Stamford and Norwalk, with numerous other crashes reported.
Through October 30, there have been 866 crashes involving pedestrians, and 45 pedestrians have been killed in Connecticut this year, according to preliminary data from CTDOT.
While communities around the region have been investing to make their roads safer, officials urge both drivers and pedestrians to be cautious as some of these incidents occurred when people were crossing outside of crosswalks and other actions.
A String of Crashes
On November 18, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk, near the Home Depot and Target, around 5:50 p.m. Norwalk police said that based on their preliminary findings, “the pedestrian was walking south across the westbound lanes of Connecticut Avenue, outside of a designated crosswalk, when he was struck by a vehicle.” The pedestrian sustained serious injuries and was transported to Norwalk Hospital.
A person was killed on November 19 when they were hit by four vehicles on I-95. According to state police, “for unknown reasons,” a pedestrian was in the right travel lane of I-95 North, near Exit 6 in Stamford. They were hit by a first vehicle, which left the scene, and thrown to the left part of the highway where they were hit by two other vehicles—both of which also left the scene. A fourth vehicle was unable to avoid hitting the person as they were attempting to merge, and that vehicle stayed on scene and cooperated with police.
In addition, on November 19, Van Buren Avenue in Norwalk was closed in both directions due to a car crash.
On November 20, a six-year-old was hit on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk at 3:46 p.m. According to Norwalk police, a preliminary investigation showed that the “driver of the vehicle was traveling eastbound on Seaview Avenue when the child ran west across the roadway and was struck.” The child “suffered serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to Norwalk Hospital.”
Also, on November 20, a five-vehicle crash in Greenwich at the intersection of East Putnam Avenue and Ferris Drive, sent one person to the hospital, according to police.
In the early morning hours on November 23 around 2:30 a.m. in Stamford, a 73-year-old pedestrian was hit near 1201 Washington Boulevard. According to the Stamford police department, a 2021 Chevy Express van “struck a pedestrian that was attempting to cross Washington Blvd. from the east side of the street to the west side of the street. The van did not stop and fled the scene.”
Police said the man who was hit suffered “very serious, possibly life-threatening injuries, and was transported to Stamford Hospital,” and the” pedestrian was not in a crosswalk when he was struck.”
Officials Urge Caution
The crashes come in the middle of a movement to make roadways safer for both drivers and pedestrians. Stamford is in the middle of implementing the Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate fatal roadway incidents by 2030, while Norwalk has been emphasizing Complete Streets to make roadways more accessible and safer for all users.
However, according to police, many of these crashes came when pedestrians were crossing outside of marked crosswalks, putting them in dangerous conflicts with cars.
Earlier this month, as the clocks went back an hour, officials urged extra caution on the roadways due to reduced visibility and more activity on the roads.
“This time of year brings darker evenings, busier roads, and we need drivers to do everything they can to keep themselves and those around them safe,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement. “We’re asking all Connecticut residents to look out for one another. A few simple actions, putting the phone away, slowing down, and watching for pedestrians, can save lives and make our communities safer for everyone.”