On the evening of Friday, September 9th, a Bike Durham member and frequent volunteer was struck by the driver of a truck while cycling through the Five Points intersection in downtown Durham. The crash was a hit-and-run, though we understand that the driver and vehicle have been located thanks to several eyewitness accounts. Two off-duty paramedics immediately assisted the crash victim until an ambulance could arrive at the scene.
Photo of damaged bike on ground at Five Points on September 9
The crash victim suffered a fractured pelvis and broken hand and is currently recovering in the hospital following three surgeries. Despite this, he is in good spirits and plans to continue biking and advocating for safer streets in Durham once he recovers from his injuries. Bike Durham wishes him a speedy and complete recovery.
Unfortunately, these types of crashes are all too common in Durham. On average every 16 days someone is killed or seriously injured while walking or biking in Durham. Just two months ago, Matt Simpson was killed crossing Guess Road on his bike with his family. These tragedies will continue to occur in Durham as long as motor vehicle speed and delay at intersections continue to be the number one priority for how our streets are designed.
The formula for safer streets is simple:
Reduce motor vehicle speed on all streets. Speed kills.
Create fully protected places for people walking, biking, and using transit on larger streets.
Shift funding away from projects that make it easier to drive to projects that make it easier to walk, bike, or use transit.
Cities that have implemented a human-centered transportation system instead of a vehicle-centered one have achieved remarkable success. Oslo, Norway, a city twice the size of Durham, recorded zero pedestrian or cyclist fatalities in 2019 and only a single vehicle fatality. This is not some type of Scandinavian exceptionalism - Oslo had 41 traffic fatalities as recently as 1975. By prioritizing people instead of cars, Oslo made the streets safer for everyone, not just those walking or biking.
The City of Durham must do more to implement the Vision Zero program adopted in 2017. Vision Zero is a framework to eliminate traffic fatalities. There needs to be dedicated funding for the Vision Zero program in the City’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget, beginning with the hiring of a Vision Zero coordinator staff position.
The City should also begin conducting more holistic crash investigations that include people from the City, State (if it is on a State-maintained road), and transportation safety advocates. They should also produce follow-up reports available to the public following each crash that leads to a fatality or serious injury, similar to those done in Washington, DC.