PRESS RELEASE : Bike Baton Rouge Statement regarding North Boulevard bicycle fatality

PRESS RELEASE : Bike Baton Rouge Statement regarding North Boulevard bicycle fatality

8/16/19
Baton Rouge, LA

Bike Baton Rouge is deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of two bicyclists in separate incidents involving vehicles in Baton Rouge in the last twenty four hours. Bike Baton Rouge would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of the victims.

The incidents (one on West Grant Street, and the second on North Boulevard) are still under investigation by police and no fault has yet been determined. Bike Baton Rouge notes, however, that Louisiana is the third deadliest state in the country for bicycle fatalities per a Center for Disease Control study. Baton Rouge largely lacks sufficient bicycling infrastructure, something the upcoming bicycle master plan hopes to resolve.

“If people in Baton Rouge had bike lanes or other facilities to get around town safely and easily there’d be less risk, fewer injuries and fatalities, as well as better experiences for both drivers and bicyclists.” said Bike Baton Rouge President Mika Torkkola,

Bike Baton Rouge provides safety tips for both bicyclists and motorists at bikebr.org/safety, but Torkkola notes that they're a less than ideal solution to a problem that could be better solved by doing a better job separating vulnerable road users, such as bicyclists, from cars.

For more information, visit bikebr.org, look up Bike Baton Rouge on facebook, or email Bike Baton Rouge at info@bikebr.org

Mika Torkkola
225 571 2906
info@bikebr.org

Bike Baton Rouge is a local non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and has been dedicated to making bicycling trips in Baton Rouge safer and more enjoyable since 2006.