‘He’s with me all the time’: Henrico strengthens road safety efforts after recent pedestrian tragedies
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- With crashes involving pedestrians on the rise, Henrico County is launching a large-scale plan to crack down on dangerous drivers. A local mother whose child was recently hit and killed while walking home is sharing her story in an attempt to prevent future tragedies like the one that has touched her family. "I see people speed all the time," said Ashley Fisher on Tuesday, Oct. 22, during the county's pedestrian safety update. "And since the passing of my son, I think I pay more attention." Fisher lost her 15-year-old son, Nathanial Clarke, last month. The young photographer and Hermitage High School student was walking home from work when he was hit by a car on Staples Mill Road. PREVIOUS: ‘He was doing the right thing’: Mother remembers 15-year-old killed in crash while walking home in Henrico "This is my baby," Fisher said, smiling while showing off a pin she wore proudly on her chest. "Some of my favorite pictures of him -- this is a baby picture and one [with] his little hat. So he's with me all the time." Ashley Fisher, mother of 15-year-old Nathaniel Clarke, showing the button she had printed of photos of her son. He was hit and killed on Staples Mill Road in Henrico in September. (Photo: Mark Morales/8News) Since Nathaniel's heartbreaking death, his mother has been consistently paying attention to reckless drivers. She's working with Henrico officials to protect those who love to bike and walk -- like her son once did. Henrico has 57 active projects and invested more than $170 million in enhancing roadway safety. PREVIOUS: Community holds vigil honoring the life of 15-year-old Hermitage High School student "We have expanded our traffic calming program," said Public Works Director Terrell Hughes. "[The county installed] speed bumps at over 168 locations since 2019. He said the county is also making a special effort to improve visibility and lighting in particularly dangerous areas. "[We're] working closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation to ensure that solar lighting is installed along high-risk roads and intersections that present challenges for pedestrians," Hughes said. The county boasts 1,400 miles of road -- yet only 276 miles have a sidewalk. Leaders have since made changing that a priority. As Hughes noted, crews are adding walkways, but they're also prioritizing additional crosswalks. Five Henrico schools lose ‘full’ accreditation status, two newly achieve it However, the responsibility also falls on drivers. Leaders within the Henrico County Police Division, like Executive Chief Ken Burnett, took the podium at the media event on Tuesday. He cited a multitude of ways his team hopes to help save lives. The Chief added that the department amped up their presence in hotspots. He reminded drivers to stay off their phones and to take the rules of the road seriously. "We're on a pace to break [a] record when it comes to fatal pedestrian crashes this year," Burnett said. "In the beginning of the year, through Oct. 15, the county has had 70 pedestrian crashes with 11 fatalities. Three of those fatalities happened along here along Staples Mill Road, within 2.5 miles of each other." Those three crashes include -- in addition to the one involving Clarke -- an August crash that killed a 2-year-old girl who wandered out of her home and a June crash that left a 60-year-old cyclist dead. Ashley Fisher, mother of 15-year-old hit and killed in September, and Henrico officials in reflective vests, promoting pedestrian safety in the county. (Photo: Mark Morales/8News) Meanwhile, as the county works toward making large-scale, long-term changes, Fisher is relieved and eager to see the county focusing on protecting pedestrians — and she said Nathaniel would be proud, too. "I am sad, but I do walk every day knowing that [Nathaniel] will want me to ensure that something changes," Fisher said. "He should be able to walk to work. He should be able to walk to school." As Halloween approaches, Henrico officials encourage residents to stop at their local library or police station to pick up free safety vests.
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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- With crashes involving pedestrians on the rise, Henrico County is launching a large-scale plan to crack down on dangerous drivers. A local mother whose child was recently hit and killed while walking home is sharing her story in an attempt to prevent future tragedies like the one that has touched her family.
"I see people speed all the time," said Ashley Fisher on Tuesday, Oct. 22, during the county's pedestrian safety update. "And since the passing of my son, I think I pay more attention."
Fisher lost her 15-year-old son, Nathanial Clarke, last month. The young photographer and Hermitage High School student was walking home from work when he was hit by a car on Staples Mill Road.
"This is my baby," Fisher said, smiling while showing off a pin she wore proudly on her chest. "Some of my favorite pictures of him -- this is a baby picture and one [with] his little hat. So he's with me all the time."
Ashley Fisher, mother of 15-year-old Nathaniel Clarke, showing the button she had printed of photos of her son. He was hit and killed on Staples Mill Road in Henrico in September. (Photo: Mark Morales/8News)
Since Nathaniel's heartbreaking death, his mother has been consistently paying attention to reckless drivers. She's working with Henrico officials to protect those who love to bike and walk -- like her son once did.
Henrico has 57 active projects and invested more than $170 million in enhancing roadway safety.
PREVIOUS: Community holds vigil honoring the life of 15-year-old Hermitage High School student
"We have expanded our traffic calming program," said Public Works Director Terrell Hughes. "[The county installed] speed bumps at over 168 locations since 2019.
He said the county is also making a special effort to improve visibility and lighting in particularly dangerous areas.
"[We're] working closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation to ensure that solar lighting is installed along high-risk roads and intersections that present challenges for pedestrians," Hughes said.
The county boasts 1,400 miles of road -- yet only 276 miles have a sidewalk. Leaders have since made changing that a priority. As Hughes noted, crews are adding walkways, but they're also prioritizing additional crosswalks.
Five Henrico schools lose ‘full’ accreditation status, two newly achieve it
However, the responsibility also falls on drivers. Leaders within the Henrico County Police Division, like Executive Chief Ken Burnett, took the podium at the media event on Tuesday. He cited a multitude of ways his team hopes to help save lives.
The Chief added that the department amped up their presence in hotspots. He reminded drivers to stay off their phones and to take the rules of the road seriously.
"We're on a pace to break [a] record when it comes to fatal pedestrian crashes this year," Burnett said. "In the beginning of the year, through Oct. 15, the county has had 70 pedestrian crashes with 11 fatalities. Three of those fatalities happened along here along Staples Mill Road, within 2.5 miles of each other."
Those three crashes include -- in addition to the one involving Clarke -- an August crash that killed a 2-year-old girl who wandered out of her home and a June crash that left a 60-year-old cyclist dead.
Ashley Fisher, mother of 15-year-old hit and killed in September, and Henrico officials in reflective vests, promoting pedestrian safety in the county. (Photo: Mark Morales/8News)
Meanwhile, as the county works toward making large-scale, long-term changes, Fisher is relieved and eager to see the county focusing on protecting pedestrians — and she said Nathaniel would be proud, too.
"I am sad, but I do walk every day knowing that [Nathaniel] will want me to ensure that something changes," Fisher said. "He should be able to walk to work. He should be able to walk to school."
As Halloween approaches, Henrico officials encourage residents to stop at their local library or police station to pick up free safety vests.
