A preventable and tragic death: Some
Lessons
On April 19, Suzanne LeBeau, an
avid cyclist, was killed when she rode her bicycle into the path of the
southbound Rail Runner train at the point where the Santa Fe Rail Trail crosses
the tracks just south of Zia Road.
Commenters to a local TV outlet
claim she was wearing some sort of headphones or earphones. This has not been
confirmed by the ongoing police investigation.
Also
relevant is that rail trail runs parallel to S. St. Francis at that location
and approaches from behind the train station. A cyclist riding north will be
screened by buildings and will then be looking at the sides of the lights and
crossing arms in a large and busy intersection. The cyclist will also be
looking directly towards the southbound train. Although the railroad barrier
arms, safety lights, warning sirens and the train’s horn were all activated and
working properly, readers must note that there are in fact no barriers or
safety lights whatsoever at the actual rail trail crossing used by cyclists.
We will never know everything that
happened on Saturday to cause this tragedy, as Suzanne is not here to explain
it. My condolences go out to her family and to the train engineer, who was
powerless to stop events.
Are there lessons here for cyclists, municipal planners, and facility designers? Certainly.
First, cyclists must maintain their situational awareness and anticipate hazards. We must constantly be asking "what can happen at this intersection or crossing and what will I do about it." Whether the cyclist was wearing headphones is less relevant than how a cyclist compensates for the loss of critical sensory information under potentially adverse conditions. Darkness, cold (requiring headgear), bad weather, and other situations can compromise one's sensory safety envelope and require adjustment. Distracted riding can be perilous because it takes away the ability to sense and evaluate danger.
Secondly, the design standards for trails should be comparable to those for an immediately adjacent roadway—if there are barriers and lights for a busy roadway, why not for a key rail trail crossing at that very busy intersection?. Indeed, this is not just any trail but an important component in Santa Fe's offroad bicycle network, made necessary because many of its major roads (and especially St. Francis Drive) are decidedly bicyclist-unfriendly, thus requiring separate bicycle facilities. In this context, a cyclist should benefit from a warning light or barrier system similar to that enjoyed by motorists. A cyclist arriving via the Rail Trail is riding at right angles to the road’s barriers and warning lights. Is it possible that this reduced visibility coupled with background visual clutter did not provide the warning the designers had assumed?
Some of this discussion goes to the very heart of defining the roles of the cyclist and the government in maintaining roadway safety. We have to balance personal responsibility with an appropriate government role in building safe, well-engineered facilities. Let's reexamine these roles today and not let Suzanne LeBeau’s death be in vain.
Are there lessons here for cyclists, municipal planners, and facility designers? Certainly.
First, cyclists must maintain their situational awareness and anticipate hazards. We must constantly be asking "what can happen at this intersection or crossing and what will I do about it." Whether the cyclist was wearing headphones is less relevant than how a cyclist compensates for the loss of critical sensory information under potentially adverse conditions. Darkness, cold (requiring headgear), bad weather, and other situations can compromise one's sensory safety envelope and require adjustment. Distracted riding can be perilous because it takes away the ability to sense and evaluate danger.
Secondly, the design standards for trails should be comparable to those for an immediately adjacent roadway—if there are barriers and lights for a busy roadway, why not for a key rail trail crossing at that very busy intersection?. Indeed, this is not just any trail but an important component in Santa Fe's offroad bicycle network, made necessary because many of its major roads (and especially St. Francis Drive) are decidedly bicyclist-unfriendly, thus requiring separate bicycle facilities. In this context, a cyclist should benefit from a warning light or barrier system similar to that enjoyed by motorists. A cyclist arriving via the Rail Trail is riding at right angles to the road’s barriers and warning lights. Is it possible that this reduced visibility coupled with background visual clutter did not provide the warning the designers had assumed?
Some of this discussion goes to the very heart of defining the roles of the cyclist and the government in maintaining roadway safety. We have to balance personal responsibility with an appropriate government role in building safe, well-engineered facilities. Let's reexamine these roles today and not let Suzanne LeBeau’s death be in vain.
Khalil J Spencer
League Cycling Instructor, League of American Bicyclists
Los Alamos, NM
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