The Ride for Magnus last month was more than just a tribute; it was a wake-up call. While standing united in memory of Magnus White and reflecting on the statistics — two people killed on Colorado roads every day—one question loomed large: What actions would demonstrate solid public commitment to change current trends?
To answer this, let’s channel the words of Jill White, Magnus’s mother, who spoke at the event: “We know what killed Magnus, and we know the solutions.” The calls for change expressed at the rally — separated bike paths, advanced crash detection systems, and tougher penalties for rule violators — may help prevent future cases like Magnus’s death, eventually.
It is also important for us to consider the possibilities for swift and effective countermeasures to combat traffic fatalities challenging our society. Should the Ride for Magnus become an annual event, it could be a powerful impetus for measures that can counteract traffic violence in a matter of weeks or months, not years.
As several speakers alluded to during Sunday’s rally, Magnus’s case exposes deeper systemic failures contributing to our nation’s traffic violence epidemic–an epidemic which requires strategic remedies that are immediate and strong. We need a tourniquet—better, an immediate and strong vaccine. I encourage a future organizing committee, and all of us who want to see improvements, to align future appeals for reform with the urgency that a public health crisis demands.
First, let’s identify and prioritize initiatives that can be quickly implemented quickly. Many of the current actions called for stretch far into the future. For example, when will the prescribed legislative or proposed infrastructure changes take effect? Five or ten years? Within those time frames, many more lives will be lost. In Colorado, over five years of waiting likely means 3,500 deaths, with 700 of those individuals being pedestrians or cyclists. It’s like closing the barn door after most of the horses have already escaped.
Second, we need to deal with the fact that speed kills. Efforts to meaningfully address traffic violence must address a universal law of physics inherent in addressing traffic safety: vehicle speed is the major contributing factor in a fatality. The outdated codes we use to design roadways support speeds which exacerbates the problem. Faster speeds and heavier cars, two trends sweeping the nation, make matters worse.
Infrastructure improvement–one of main pillars highlighted during last Sunday’s rally—points us in the right direction. Modern street designs have been proven to work by altering speed and movement patterns. They are employed widely in progressive nations and work. By changing street design, we can cure known locations in our communities that needlessly claim lives every day.
So what’s preventing us from making progress? There are several hurdles, but they can be overcome if we, collectively, can understand how our perspectives perpetuate the status quo. Most residents insist on the convenience of driving cars in free-flow conditions, using vehicles that are, each year, bigger and heavier. Existing, outdated street design codes reinforce such expectations. Politicians listen to residents and oblige, rather than asking drivers to spare seconds. It’s easier (and lazier) to stand behind the status quo–as reinforced by entrenched rules, long-established regulations, and economic incentives. And when something goes horribly wrong, we insist that individuals should follow existing guidelines, however broken they might be.
The prospect of thousands of people cycling each August, united in memory and for the purpose of demanding safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians is heartwarming. Looking ahead, we can (and should) best honor those we’ve lost by committing ourselves to enacting changes as swiftly as possible. If not, we risk delaying what needs to be done and perennially searching for new remedies that work in our existing system. It’s possible to lean into Jill White’s challenge and implement known solutions next week, not the indefinite bureaucratic future.
Kevin J. Krizek is Professor of Environmental Design at the University of Colorado Boulder and former Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment (U.S. Dept Of State). He analyzes urban dynamics, infrastructure, and the role of government. Recent work articulates new pathways for transport planning grounded in accessibility, sustainability, and social justice–perspectives shared in his TED talk, public essays (1, 2, 3, 4), and by the BBC. As a fellow of the Leopold Program, Dr. Krizek gained skills to guide transformative change, reinforcing his ability to make complex topics accessible to people of all backgrounds. He lives in Boulder, CO and has taught courses at more than ten universities, including as a visiting professor in the Netherlands and has served two Fulbright scholarships. At the Department of State in 2021/22, Krizek spurred global infrastructure initiatives on digital security, smart cities, and clean energy reform.
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