After fatal crash on Easter, Salem looks to improve road safety

In the aftermath of a car accident that killed a Salem mom the night of Easter Sunday, officials and grieving family members are calling on the city to improve road safety measures.

The crash occurred around 8:20 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Jefferson Ave. and Willson St. and killed 41-year-old Tammi Lyn Guy from Salem who was attempting to cross the busy intersection. Police said that the driver remained at the scene and did not indicate if they would face charges.

“My heart just hurts really bad,” Alahna Guy, Tammi’s daughter told NBC 10 Boston. “I wish I could’ve prepared or seen it coming just so like I could hug her and tell her I loved her to her face.”

The city is reportedly looking to add five officers to enforce traffic restrictions and add a traffic light to the intersection, which officials say has been the site of several crashes and collisions in the past, including the site of the crash that killed Salem police officer Dana Mazola.

“My heart breaks for Tammi Guy’s family,” Salem City Councilor Patti Morsillo told Boston.com in an email. “This was a tragedy, and happened right in her own neighborhood.”

Morsillo said that after years of accidents on the residential and school-area street, the Salem Police Department is gathering crash data from the intersection. She also said that Salem will conduct a city meeting “within a week or two” after the collection process is complete. She says the meeting would include the acting mayor, the Director of Traffic and Parking, the Police Chief, the Lieutenant in charge of the Traffic Division, the City Engineer, the City Electrician, and herself.

“Instead of prioritizing efficient throughput of vehicles, we need to create safer roads for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.  The goal for every road should be zero crashes,” she said.

“We will look at the effectiveness of the street lights, road markings, crosswalk visibility, and geometry of the road, to determine what needs to be done to make the area safer,” Morsillo added.  “Salem has been working on intersection design upgrades in the area, and I am hoping to accelerate that work.  The issue of road safety requires a team approach, which is how this work will move forward.”

Since the crash, no charges have been filed and the driver has not been identified. Police say the investigation is still ongoing.

Family and loved ones have also started a GoFundMe to pay for Tammi Lyn Guy’s funeral expenses.