Officials in Garfield are addressing pedestrian-involved accidents today, and according to residents, it can't come soon enough.

New Jersey's pedestrian fatality rate is nearly double the national average.

Some may call the scene outside the Garfield Municipal Building and Garfield High School controlled chaos, as drivers and pedestrians try to get where they need to go.

Back on Sept. 17, Giovanni Rivera was struck by a motorist, later identified as Paul Frischer, along MacArthur Avenue.

Two days later, Rivera died and Frischer was arrested.

Pedestrian accidents are an all too familiar site in Garfield and around the state.

According to state police, 184 pedestrians were killed in crashes in New Jersey in 2017.

From 2013-2017, 825 pedestrians were killed statewide and more than 22,000 were injured.

There were 131 motor vehicle crashes involving pedestrians in Garfield from 2012-2016.

Garfield city officials are kicking off the Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety campaign today in an effort to reduce pedestrian-vehicle crashes.