Just after noon on April 1st, 2026, Susan A. White-Scalia, 61, was killed after being struck by the driver of a work truck towing a backhoe, while crossing Cuthbert Blvd* at the 300 block of S. Park Drive.
Her death was the second in New Jersey within three days, with Camden resident Luis Colon killed on the night of March 30th after being struck by two vehicles.
Due to an ongoing investigation, most details of the crash remain unknown, but witnesses say that Ms. White-Scalia was struck as the truck attempted a right turn from S. Park Drive onto Cuthbert Blvd. While she was marginally responsive immediately after being hit, she was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the local hospital.
We offer our deepest condolences to Ms. White-Scalia’s family and friends.
What Countermeasures Could Make the Intersection Safer?
The likely scenario of a heavy-duty truck with a trailer turning right.
S. Park Drive, is a residential park road running parallel to the Cooper River Trail, part of the Circuit Trails network that is very popular on evenings and weekends. However, east of Cuthbert Rd the path deteriorates quickly and the intersection is not particularly bicycle or pedestrian friendly where it intersects with Cuthbert Rd. While it has a speed limit of 25 mph, there are no shoulders and the shared-use Cooper River Trail that runs parallel to the road remains disconnected at the intersection where the crash occurred .
Both S. Park Drive and Cuthbert Rd are Camden-County-maintained roads and are on the DVRPC Regional High Injury Network. Between 2017 and 2021, Cuthbert Rd had 3 pedestrian and 10 bicycle crashes, while S. Park Drive had 2 bicycle crashes.
Cuthbert Blvd, on the other hand, transforms from a highway with a median, steel guardrails, and a 40 mph speed limit to the North of S. Park Drive to a 25 mph residential road after the intersection. Cuthbert Blvd is a key connector between downtown Haddon Township and State Routes 70 & 38 across Cooper River Park. There does not seem to be a justification.
Narrowing the intersection and sharpening the turn radii could have improved the visibility of the victim and given the time for both the driver and Susan to act. As the sidepath is a Circuit Trail the County should propose a more visible crossing that clearly defines the bicyclists path going across the intersection.
Lateral Protection for Vulnerable Road Users
Lateral Side Guards and Blind Spot Information Systems for Trucks – Besides the separation between motorists and vulnerable users is the best solution, low cost safety improvements for heavy vehicles. The United States is far behind the European Union in implementing heavy truck safety features for vulnerable road users. A report
If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for community, please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing julio@bicyclecoalition.org.
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, behaviors enabled by dangerous street design. FSSGP represents the full range of Greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demands an end to traffic violence.