According to the Press Enterprise, Charlie Wolcott, 55, has been in a coma since being hit by a car at Sixth and Victoria streets in Corona after a driver ignored a crosswalk in July 2006. On the second anniversary of the accident, Diane Ward, Wolcott’s sister, launched Charlie’s Cause, a crosswalk sting that resulted in 41 citations to drivers failed to stop. She is pursuing tougher legislation and similar operations for pedestrian safety
Wolcott was among 2,953 pedestrian’s hit by vehicles from 2006 to 2008 in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to data from the CHP. 277 of those crashes were fatal.
Since 2006, Riverside has ranked first in Riverside County with 281 pedestrians hit. Moreno Valley has ranked second with 134 pedestrians hit and Corona has ranked third with 109 pedestrian collisions. In San Bernardino County, the city of San Bernardino ranked first with 240 pedestrian collisions followed by Ontario and Fontana, which both had 151.
Unincorporated regions accounted for a large number of pedestrian collisions and fatalities in both counties. Riverside County had 269 pedestrian collisions with 44 fatalities. San Bernardino recorded 227 collisions in unincorporated regions stretching into the High Desert.
According to the CHP, some of the most severe incidents have occurred on interstates and highways. In San Bernardino County, 37 people were hit on I-15, which leads in that county. Interstates 15 and 10 led San Bernardino County in pedestrian crashes. In Riverside County, there were 30 freeway crashes on Highway 60 and Interstates 15, 215 and 10.
Lighted crosswalks as well as flashing lights and tones have been installed in high populated areas in cities such as Corona, Rancho Cucamonga and Riverside.
