VIRGINIA BEACH, Va — With all the holiday foot traffic, police officers were prepared to respond to accidents involving pedestrians, especially after two people were involved in crashes before the weekend.
So far, in 2024, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has reported 329 pedestrian injuries from crashes.
Michelle Sullivan is the mom of a former Virginia Beach student. She says the intersection of Old Dam Neck Road and Da Vinci Drive has never been well-lit, especially in the early morning.
"When it's dark and early in the morning, it doesn't matter if it's a child or an adult," says Sullivan. "You don't see them until the last minute unless they are wearing reflective clothing,"
On Thursday Virginia Beach Police told News 3 that a juvenile was hit by a car at that same intersection. Sullivan says the aftermath was heartbreaking
"I started to cry. I remember seeing one of my co-worker's wife trying to offer assistance and she was shaken up," explained Sullivan. "I sent a reminder to my team saying it's still dark in the morning when we are heading to work please be careful,"
Master Police Officer, CM Wilson with the Virginia Beach Police Department told us the pedestrian and the driver were both juveniles.
The last update he received was that they were both in critical but stable condition.
When we asked him why pedestrian crashes occur, he said there are many reasons why.
"It could be a matter of speed. It could be a matter of impaired driving. A big factor is also distracted driving, or being on your phone, listening to music or not paying attention to what's around you," explained Wilson.
Nicholas Scolamiero said he's seen his share of reckless driving while living in the Ghent neighborhood. He also said that he had some close calls.
"Me and my girlfriend have been almost hit crossing the streets. You have to look both ways and pay attention to your surroundings," said Scolamiero.
Since the start of 2024, the Virginia DMV has recorded 25 pedestrian deaths thus far. The most recent death was on March 10.
Pedestrians like Scholamiero say tragedies like this are painful reminders of what can happen when you share the road with someone.
"You have to assume people are going to make a mistake and be happy when they don't," said Scholamiero.
