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Sacramento Advocates Respond Proactively to Young Cyclist’s Death

Last week, in the early morning of April 1, a young woman was struck and killed while bicycling near California State University. The Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates responded almost immediately, reacting proactively to the tragedy with an effort to make cyclists more visible during the most dangerous nighttime hours.

According to The Sacramento Bee, Arlene Sasse, 22, was killed when a driver alleged did not see her cycling through the intersection of Carlson and J streets. The crash occurred less than 100 yards from a ghost bike memorializing the death of a bicyclist in the same area last year. “We don’t yet have clear understanding of what happened last night and will continue to gather information,” Tricia Hedahl, SABA Executive Director, said in the group’s April 1 press release.

But, while the city department of transportation investigated the cause, SABA didn’t wait to take direct action. The advocates immediately leveraged their Light On! program to raise awareness around CSUS and in the wider community by distributing free headlight and taillight sets near the campus. “We hope that giving out lights will be a one small step toward helping repair a campus that is torn over this disaster,” Hedahl said. “SABA’s other goal is to educate cyclists that they are required to have lighting equipment after dark. Light On! will make 50 bicyclists more visible and many drivers more aware.”

The Light On! program is supported by Planet Bike. Read more here.