On Sunday, a group of over 100 cyclists rode through Philadelphia to honor the memory of those lost in car crashes and raise awareness about bike safety. Among them was Sidney Ozer, who lost his 17-year-old son Samuel on Father’s Day last year. The ride marked World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and was organized by Families for Safe Streets of Greater Philadelphia.
The city of Philadelphia is a Vision Zero city, with the goal of achieving zero traffic deaths. However, this year more than 110 people have been killed in traffic fatalities, including 10 cyclists. Laura Fredricks, a co-founder of Families for Safe Streets, is calling out for more bike lanes where there are parked cars separating bicyclists from moving traffic. While this type of bike lane is legal on city streets, it’s not legal on state-owned roads. Advocates also want to see the Speed Camera Pilot Program on Roosevelt Boulevard extended because it’s set to expire next month.
As Thanksgiving approaches and Samuel would have sat at the dinner table, Ozer vows to continue the fight for safer streets in his son’s honor. “I will never forget what happened that day,” he said. “But I will keep fighting until we get closer to our Vision Zero goal.”