Sandhya Laddha is a mother and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s Policy Director.

King Road takes another life. This time of a Baby.

I am a mother of a two-year-old. And I’ve been thrilled to witness his journey from infancy to an adventurous toddler. I can't wait to explore the world with him as he grows older — from camping under the stars to dancing together in lively classes. I want to show him the place where me and his father first met, share my favorite ice cream, read to him my favorite book — the dreams are endless, and I eagerly look forward to seeing his future unfold!

When I heard about the tragic incident that occurred in San Jose on Tuesday, July 18, I got chills. A baby girl lost her life and her mother and 5-year old sister were seriously injured - it sends shivers down my spine. I can't help but think of the dreams her family must have had for her, just like I dream for my little one. And yet, their hopes were shattered in a matter of moments, simply because they tried to get from one side of the street to another. They didn't commit any crime, their only 'mistake' was simply attempting to reach the other side safely.

*Fatal crash scene*

Southbound King Road at Havana Drive. Police say the driver of an SUV heading south on King struck and killed an infant and seriously injured her mother and 5-year-old sister at night July 18. King has long ranked a high-collision corridor, with 693 crashes and eight deaths, six of them pedestrians, in the past five years.

The incident happened on King Road, a street known for its high number of crashes and fatalities. King Road was first identified as a Vision Zero Priority Corridor in 2015. Almost 10 years later, it still continues to be a high-collision corridor. It was identified as a priority corridor once again in 2017 and again in 2023. King Road has seen eight fatalities (six of which were pedestrians) and 693 crashes in the last 5 years!

Historically our streets have been designed for moving cars, making sure they can be moved fast and conveniently from point A to point B with little to no thought put into the movement of people. The result is that, in San Jose there are on average 20 crashes a day, 10 of which involve a major injury, and 1 fatality every week. Combine that with the fact that our streets occupy 45% or more of the total land use of any city and the end result is that much of our city’s area is incredibly dangerous. Also, a recent study ranked San Jose 22nd among the 30 largest cities in safe street speeds!

Fortunately, we know how to make the streets more safe. Time and again it has been proven that walkable and bikeable communities with housing, services, jobs, parks close by, in addition to safe infrastructure design is the ultimate solution to safe streets, yet cities do not prioritize that. Read more here to see the impact of street design on safety.

The City of San Jose has been working to improve street safety and we’re appreciative of the good people who work in the Department of Transportation. That said, City leadership has lagged on making street improvements at the pace needed to stop the traffic violence.

Hence, we urged the Mayor and Council of San Jose to increase funds to prioritize safe streets in this budget cycle. And while we’re pleased that the budget reflects the addition of staff capacity in the Department of Transportation, it doesn’t go far enough. How many deaths will it take?

Let's work together to create a city where families can dream without fear and children can grow up safely. We carry the flame of hope and resilience in our hearts, and we won't back down. So, I ask you, will you stand with us? Will you be a part of this transformative journey?