Six pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents last year in Berks County, a figure that mirrors the county’s long‑term trend.
Over the past decade, police agencies in Berks logged 52 pedestrian fatalities, an average of just over five per year, according to PennDOT data. The highest total in that span was seven deaths in 2022.
Police agencies logged a total of 165 pedestrian accidents in Berks in 2025, down nearly 19% from the previous year’s 203 reportable pedestrian accidents.
At a media event Thursday at Exeter Commons, representatives of PennDOT District 5 and the Highway Safety Network joined Exeter Township police to highlight what they described as a two‑part problem: motorists and pedestrians each play a role in preventing crashes.
Sgt. David Bentz, who leads the Exeter Township Police Department’s traffic unit, and PennDOT safety press officer Sean Brown used the final day of a two‑week pedestrian safety enforcement detail to urge drivers and walkers to stay alert as warmer weather brings more people outdoors.
“Pedestrians have some responsibilities to make sure they’re crossing when it’s safe, but motorists also have to yield to those pedestrians when they’re in the crosswalk,” Bentz said.
The driver of a car fails to yield to a pedestrian, PennDOT District 5 Safety Press Officer Sean Brown, during a pedestrian enforcement operation by Exeter Township police at the DeMoss Road entrance of Exeter Commons on Thursday, May 7, 2026. A police officer in a nearby patrol vehicle stopped the car a short distance away. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Police chose the shopping center entrance for Thursday’s event because of a recent tragedy nearby. Less than a mile west of the site, two older women were struck — one fatally — in the Boscov’s East parking lot on Feb. 16.
Bentz said the driver was turning left from the end of an aisle when he hit both women as they crossed the main travel lane. After consulting with the Berks County district attorney’s office, police decided not to charge the driver, who told investigators that he did not see them.
The crash, Bentz said, illustrates why motorists must always expect the unexpected, especially in residential areas and shopping centers where children may dart into the street.
“Keep your head on a swivel, be ready to stop,” he said. “The same is true for parents — keep an eye on those kids and maybe put them in a safer place to play so they won’t go out into traffic.”
Bentz also reminded drivers of the upcoming Paul Miller distracted‑driving law, which will prohibit motorists from holding a cellphone while driving. Enforcement begins June 5.
“If the phone’s in your hand, you’re in violation,” he said.
Pedestrians must also remain vigilant, Bentz said.
“Look left, right, left before crossing,” he said. “Even in marked crosswalks, people should make sure it’s safe before stepping off the curb.”
He advised against wearing earbuds in both ears, which can prevent walkers, runners and bicyclists from hearing approaching vehicles.
“Hearing a car coming is just as important as seeing a car coming,” he said.
Once a pedestrian enters the roadway, motorists are required to yield until the person is completely across — not just past the front of the vehicle.
Decoy operation quickly yields results
After speaking with reporters, officers deployed a trained pedestrian decoy — PennDOT’s Brown — to monitor whether drivers yielded at the crosswalk along the DeMoss Road entrance to Exeter Commons.
On Brown’s first attempt, a driver stopped.
A vehicle stops for pedestrian Sean Brown, safety press officer for PennDOT District 5, during an Exeter Police Department pedestrian safety enforcement operation at DeMoss Road at Exeter Commons on Thursday, May 7, 2026. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
“That’s a win,” Bentz said. “They’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Moments later, another driver tried to squeeze past Brown within a few feet of him. An officer stationed nearby witnessed the violation and initiated a traffic stop. Depending on the circumstances, Bentz said, violations could result in warnings or citations.
He added that many neighborhoods lack painted crosswalks, but the law still applies.
“Even if a crosswalk isn’t marked, it’s still a crosswalk by definition,” he said. “The law still applies.”