Breaking the Cycle: Turning Tragedy into Action for Safer Streets

The crash left Gabriela with broken neck, pelvis, and ribs, and she suffered a traumatic brain injury so severe that it left her in a coma for a month. Gabriela O'Shea's story is not uncommon, and it certainly isn't exclusive to cyclists.

The Need for Safer Streets

According to a June 2024 report from the New York State Comptroller's Office, traffic-related deaths in New York State have risen dramatically since 2019: pedestrians account for nearly 26% of all people killed in traffic accidents in New York State in 2022, and cyclists account for nearly 6%.

Traffic-related injuries are among the second to fourth leading causes of death in Ulster, Dutchess, Sullivan, and Orange counties in 2022. In 2014, in Ulster County, the county with the highest rate of traffic-related deaths of the four counties, an average of 2 people die every two months, 17 people are hospitalized, and 172 are treated in an emergency room, including emergency departments.

Given national trends of pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths, and certainly local ones, community organizations throughout the Hudson Valley have been working to establish and implement initiatives for safer streets for all.

Local Organizations Call for Solutions

Safe Pass Ulster is a coalition of Ulster County residents dedicated to "correcting inequalities and injustices that are very common in our transportation systems," which they say put "vulnerable road users at greater risk of death and injury on our streets."

According to Rose Quinn, the lead facilitator of Safe Pass Ulster and former road safety educator in Ulster County, a vulnerable road user is “anyone who is outside of their car” on public roads, says Quinn.

Quinn adds that the definition could be expanded to include “economically disadvantaged people, people of color, and/or people who have traditionally had to live without cars or in poor conditions.” Vulnerable road users are "disproportionately affected" by traffic accidents, Quinn says.

Rose Quinn herself has suffered a significant loss due to road violence, when in July 2021, her partner, John “Host” Lynch, was struck and killed on his bicycle on Washington Avenue in Kingston.

Quinn says that when Lynch died, “it was absolute madness.”

Before the tragedy, Quinn had worked as a road safety educator at SUNY Ulster. There, she organized community awareness programs, car seat and bicycle helmet events. Quinn became well-known for her work with bike programs and soon became a full-time cyclist, advocating for people traveling through the Hudson Valley without cars.

“I had truly dedicated myself to this idea that, if we all work together, we can be safe, and I haven’t completely given up on that way of thinking, but it was really devastating, heartbreaking, and avoidable,” Quinn says. However, after the collision, Quinn became more involved in advocacy work.

Quinn left her job and eventually became involved with organizations like Safe Pass Ulster and Families for Safe Streets.

Advocacy and Emotional Support

According to its website, Families for Safe Streets is a national organization that advocates for “life-saving changes and provides support to those affected by accidents.”

Families for Safe Streets has organized and helped implement several policies throughout New York State, including the Sammy's Law, a New York City legislation that allows the city to reduce its speed limit to 20mph with signage. The organization has also implemented speed safety cameras and redesigned streets with the purpose of making them safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Gabriela O’Shea, after her nearly fatal crash, describes the advocacy work she has been involved in with Families for Safe Streets. “Their goal is to make the necessary changes so that it is safe for people to move from one place to another,” explains O’Shea. Together, they have pushed for events, written letters, and sent mass emails to help implement these changes.

Ana Theis, a social worker who is part of the support team at Families for Safe Streets, focuses on the organization's emotional support efforts, making sure to assist victims of traffic violence, particularly Spanish-speaking members.

Theis works with the organization to reach out to people who have lost family members or loved ones due to traffic violence or those who have been severely injured. Once connected, Theis introduces them to others in her network who can provide support. “We believe that only those who have gone through a similar tragedy can truly understand and help,” emphasizes Theis.

“To foster this support, we organize support groups,” says Theis, who facilitates the monthly group for Spanish-speaking members. Theis speaks about the transformative power of leading members of the organization toward advocacy work. “We believe that advocating for change and providing support go hand in hand, in this way, we can channel the terrible pain into meaningful change.”

Families for Safe Streets provides resources in Spanish and is always looking for ways to expand its reach. Among their new initiatives is the creation of a Spanish-speaking support group that will meet biweekly. Theis mentions that they will also develop a digital tool where traffic violence victims can share their stories, also available in Spanish.

A Community That Comes Together

Rose Quinn has worked diligently to connect members of the Hudson Valley community, specifically as a means to build community and a space for healing.

On November 17, 2024, Quinn, along with survivors of road violence, as well as family members of those lost to traffic violence, shared the documentary "The Speed of Silence" on World Remembrance Day, a global observance to honor the millions of people who died and were seriously injured in road traffic accidents.

The documentary covered the lasting and devastating impact of road violence in the Hudson Valley, with local stories. After the screening, attendees participated in a silent walk to "honor the victims and advocate for solutions to prevent the ongoing public health crisis of road violence," says Quinn.

From these solutions, Safe Pass Ulster and Families for Safe Streets presented a set of "key demands," including requesting funding from the state legislature and the New York State Department of Transportation, Region 8 for previously rejected Transportation Alternatives grants, as well as for Complete Streets initiatives, which would ensure safer access to streets for all road users.

The demands also call for the Ulster County Executive to adopt a Vision Zero approach and create a task force dedicated to the national Vision Zero strategy, aimed at eliminating all deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes.

Safe Pass Ulster demands that the city of Kingston increase community involvement in all phases of proposed road projects, and that the New York State Legislature expand public transportation options and approve legislation to limit the speed of repeat traffic offenders.

Despite the pain of lost loved ones and lives forever transformed, organizers and advocates for pedestrian and cyclist safety believe that by working together, change is possible.

“Road violence is a preventable public health crisis,” emphasizes Theis. “By raising awareness and advocating for safer streets, we can work together to prevent future tragedies and create a safer world for everyone.”