On Oct. 18, Carleton student Krista Johnson died after she collided with a car while cycling on Bronson Ave. There are few details of the crash, but the fact that she was on her bike when it happened should make us all stop and think.
We lost one of our own.
Krista was smart, young and loved. The lives she would have touched had she not died are diminished because of what happened last Thursday.
So the question becomes, what now? How do we direct our outrage at this loss towards making a difference for the better?
Petitions have begun calling for a change to traffic rules on Bronson. Ottawa city councillor David Chernushenko is speaking up at city council. But we need to do more.
Everyone has a part to play in changing the culture of our roads. Yes, drivers need to be more aware, drive slower and respect cyclists. But those of us who bike need to follow the rules too. It’s the law to have front and back lights on your bike at night and a bell to warn pedestrians. Provincial law should be changed so all bikers, regardless of age, are required to wear a helmet. And police need to enforce these laws.
More than 15 cyclists have died on Ottawa’s roads in the last five years. Too often, these tragedies turn into virulent blame-games. But saying deaths are always the fault of bad drivers or careless cyclists does not help anybody. Whether you’re a cyclist, a pedestrian, or a driver, we all need to step it up when it comes to road safety.
This city has claimed too many friends already.
