Updated: Police identify woman who was hit and killed by truck in north Wichita

A 53-year-old woman was hit and killed by a truck Monday night in north Wichita, Wichita police spokesperson Kristopher Gupilan said Tuesday.

Police on Wednesday identified the woman as Phylicia Carter of Wichita.

It’s the city’s 18th fatal accident and 18th traffic fatality this year. It’s also at least the sixth pedestrian death, putting Wichita above national averages for the percentage of pedestrian deaths.

Police were called around 7 p.m. to the 4400 block of North Meridian. The woman was taken to the hospital where she died.

The woman was “walking her bicycle on the traffic way” when she was hit by a Ford Explorer headed south on Meridian, Gupilan said in a news release. Police are asking for any witnesses to the accident to call detectives at 316-350-3686.

Police do not think speed or impairment were factors in the wreck.

At least a third of all the traffic fatalities this year are pedestrians. Police have not reported information on all the fatalities, so that percentage could be higher.

Last year was a record year for Wichita pedestrian deaths based on available data since 2000. There were at least 14 pedestrian deaths. By this time last year, there were also six pedestrian deaths, but 23 total traffic deaths — meaning the percentage of pedestrian deaths is higher this year.

Police pointed to a number of factors , last year for the record deaths of pedestrians, which came a year after the city saw a 21-year record of total traffic fatalities with 47.

Pedestrian deaths nationwide hit a 41-year high in 2022 with 7,508, according to preliminary data released in June by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

National Safety Council available data from 1994-2021 shows the percent of pedestrian deaths to all traffic fatalities hit a high of 17.3% in 2018.

This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 3:53 PM.