On Friday, August 4th the driver of a Tesla hit a cyclist, Mario D’Adamo III, and a pedestrian before attempting to flee and running into a tree in FDR Park. ABC 6 previously reported that the pedestrian was in critical condition and the cyclists was in stable condition but it is with deep sympathies that we report that Dadamo, the cyclist, later passed away from his injuries. D’Adamo is the 8th person who has been killed while riding a bike in 2023.
Every single bicycle related death is heartbreaking to us and this shows an incredibly troubling trend that while traffic fatalities as a whole might be decreasing, the number of pedestrians and bicyclists are not. In 2022 we saw the highest number of pedestrian deaths since 1990 with 57 fatal crashes and in 2021 we saw the highest number of bicyclist deaths in Philadelphias recorded history with 8 fatal crashes.
Our city and state needs to do more to prevent these crashes from happening
- Make Parking Protected Bike Lanes Legal, HB 1283
- Make Automated Speed Enforcement permanent and expand it to more roads in Philadelphia, HB 1284
- Create Jay-Alert to help catch Hit and Run drivers, SB 730
- Invest more in proven safety infrastructure like daylighting, non-flexible bollards, and speed cushions, Better Mobility Platform
- Invest in reliable and accessible public transit, Philly Trib
Our heart breaks for Mario’s family during this time. If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for a community please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing nicole@bicyclecoalition.org. If you want to share you condolences with the D’Adamo family, please send a donation in lieu of flowers to the ASPCA, HUMANE SOCIETY, or MORRIS ANIMAL RESCUE.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behavior enabled by a dangerous street design. FSSGP represents the full range of greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demand an end to traffic violence.