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Date: 12/15/2022
CHICOPEE – Following a series of fatal accidents, Mayor John Vieau and Police Chief Patrick Major highlighted their vision for increased road safety during a Dec. 9 press conference.
Chicopee has endured a tumultuous year for roadway safety. Among the 1,595 crashes that occurred in the city, 10 have resulted in deaths, including five roadway deaths within the last two months. A majority of the deceased victims were pedestrians.
“The city of Chicopee has seen an increase in accidents involving pedestrians. I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends in their time of sorrow,” said Vieau.
Major offered his condolences to the families of recent victims, which include Nickolas Weichel, William Matteson and Gary Turcotte.
Vieau and Major said they can not comment on the recent incidents due to ongoing legal matters. Instead, they focused the press conference on highlighting their shared vision for improving roadside safety in Chicopee.
“Our goal is to provide the community with safe roads to travel on … My office is here to work with the Police Department to ensure that they have the tools necessary to combat this issue,” said Vieau.
Major stressed that his department will be strictly enforcing moving violations enacted by motorists and pedestrians. Additionally, he described a series of measures that the Chicopee Police Department will be enacting to combat the growing concern.
Major allocated additional overtime for officers to work strictly within traffic enforcement. The Police Department is also deploying speed trailers throughout Chicopee to deter speeding and collect driving data.
Major said his department has worked rapidly and professionally in addressing roadside safety as the Police Department gets closer to featuring a full complement of officers. Across 2022, the Chicopee Police Department has issued around 6,000 traffic citations – which Major considers to be higher than most years.
Vieau and Major are also spreading their message through the media, including increased messaging on social media platforms and a public service announcement filmed by ChicopeeTV.
“Our goal is to educate the public and enforce the laws of the commonwealth, and I believe that these initiatives will make that possible,” said Major.
Both city leaders also stressed that increased road safety requires a commitment from motorists and pedestrians. They each advocated for drivers to disavow distracted driving and follow speed limits throughout the city. Vieau stressed that 25 mph is the speed limit for any unmarked road in the city.
“Please obey the speed limits, put down your electronic devices, be aware of others on the roads and of course, never drive under the influence,” said Major.
As for pedestrian safety, Vieau and Major advocated for pedestrians to be especially careful at nighttime. They said all pedestrians should look both ways before crossing and maintain eye contact with motorists.
Looking ahead, Vieau and Major said they both remain focused on avenues for improving public safety. Vieau shared that he continues to consult with the city’s DPW to see if increased signage and pedestrian crossings are needed. Vieau and the DPW also are still considering whether to incorporate speed tables across the city following an ongoing speed table pilot program on Front Street.
Major shared that he is focused on incorporating new hires for the Police Department as they complete extensive training.
Reflecting on the recent incidents and the new measures, Vieau stressed that safety for all motorists and pedestrians is paramount in Chicopee.
“Our goal is to keep everyone safe,” said Vieau.