Family of slain STL cyclist Rick Beard offers reward; A call for Vision Zero on Missouri streets
St. Louis Bicycle Works posted:
Almost one year ago Richard Beard was killed by a driver who fled the scene. To date no charges have been brought against this driver.
On Thursday at Noon we hope you can join us for a very important announcement and show support to the Beard family. Thursday, June 11, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. would have been Rick’s 55th birthday. Please meet at the intersection of North Sarah Street and Cook Avenue, the scene of the crime.
"Family members of Rick Beard will be announcing a substantial reward for information leading to the conviction of the speeding hit and run driver who killed Rick while he was riding his bicycle on Friday, June 20, 2014, through the intersection of North Sarah Street and Cook Avenue. They will be encouraging witnesses to come forward and cooperate with police and prosecutors in an effort to convict the driver and prevent that person from causing further harm to the community."
One of the primary goals in our updated Vision is to work towards Vision Zero in Missouri--towards ZERO road fatalities. A big part of Vision Zero is looking at each and every fatality and injury and making positive changes to prevent similar situations from occurring again.
We know that Rick was a careful cyclist who avoided fast traffic and busy streets. He was killed--apparently by the driver of a very fast-moving automobile--at an intersection in a quiet neighborhood with a low speed limit.
What can be done? Vision Zero
So, in situations like this, what can be done to make our communities safer for everyone, including those who walk, bicycle, and drive, and move toward a vision of zero traffic fatalities?
- They are not "accidents"; don't use the term "accident" in referring to them: Traffic injuries and fatalities are not "accidents" beyond the control of the people who use the roads and the engineers and planners who design them. They should not be referred to as "accidents"--doing so reinforces the mindset that these are random acts of fate that can't be avoided.
Instead, we need to take the attitude that every injury and every fatality can be avoided. What concrete steps do citizens and agencies need to take to avoid it?
Because the truth is that communities and nations that have taken traffic fatalities seriously and have taken positive steps to massively reduce fatalities, have been very, very successful in doing so.
Traffic fatalities are not unavoidable. In fact, they are very avoidable.
- Cars don't kill people; drivers do: Cars do not drive themselves. Drivers of automobiles are, by law, responsible for controlling their powerful vehicles and are responsible when their vehicle is out of control or moving too fast to stop in time to prevent a collision.
Missouri's traffic law says it well:
Every person operating a motor vehicle on the roads and highways of this state shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person and shall exercise the highest degree of care.
- People can make a huge difference in improving safety of our streets by changing their behavior: Drivers--who are responsible for the vast majority of traffic fatalities--can slow down when in populated areas, reduce driving distractions, drive with safety first in mind. Cities and agencies can undertake regular, comprehensive safety outreach programs.
- Unsafe, careless, and fast driving should considered socially unacceptable in the same way that drunk driving is. Don't do it yourself and don't allow your friends and family to do it.
- Streets--especially those in populated areas--can be comprehensively reconfigured, rebuilt, and resedigned with safety, not speed or traffic flow, in mind. Parts of the world that have taken this approach have been able to dramatically reduce roadway fatalities.
Changing attitutudes and driving habits is important, but gets us only so far. We know that, when streets are designed to facilitate fast traffic, a certain percentage of drivers will drive fast, no matter what. But it in many cases it is pretty simple and inexpensive to redesign streets in a way that encourages calm and safe traffic--and increases safety for all road users.
The Complete Streets movement--which has taken off dramatically in Missouri over the past several years--is working towards this aim. We need to work to create calm traffic and safe spaces to walk and bicycle on every street that goes through a populated area in Missouri.
- Traffic violations and unsafe driving that result in injuries and deaths should be vigorously prosecuted. Driving can be a safe activity--but it is the responsibility of drivers to make it so. Drivers who are speeding, driving too fast for conditions, breaking traffic laws, or otherwise driving unsafely should be prosecuted when their actions result in death or injury.
Deliberate or careless actions that result in death should be prosecuted vigorously.
But any traffic violation that contributes to injury or death--even if there was no intent to injure or kill--should be treated as an extraordinary serious matter that requires restriction of driving privileges, a significant waiting period, and retraining before driving privileges are restored.
We support the family of Rick Beard in finding justice for his death.
We strongly support cities, counties, the state of Missouri, road agencies, and prosecutors taking positive steps forward to enact the recommendations outlined above and move Missouri towards Vision Zero.
We strongly support local organizations and advocates who are taking positive steps to address this issue--including Trailnet's statement calling for the city to set a goal to eliminate bicycle and pedestrian fatalities, St. Louis Bicycle Works, which has a passion for eliminating bicycle fatalities taken the lead in educating young cyclists, and BikeLifeSTL, which has gathered a passionate group of cyclists who want to make fundamental change on issues like these.
Over the past two decades, we have worked towards all of the steps outlined above--see our Vision and Legislative Agenda. We encourage individuals and groups across Missouri to support us and our like-minded allies as we work for true roadway safety and traffic justice in Missouri.
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