Fund Started for Lexington Man Killed in Cambridge Bicycle Crash

LEXINGTON, MA – A Boston-area advocacy group for greater bicycle safety has established a fund for a Lexington cyclist killed in a crash in Cambridge earlier this year.

The Joe Lavins Fund for Bicycle Safety, created by the Boston Cyclists Union, honors the legacy of Bernard "Joe" Lavins, who was struck by an 18-wheeler in Porter Square Oct. 5. In a nod to Lavins' own passion for promoting bicycle safety, the fund outlines the following educational and advocacy efforts:

1. Create educational materials to be used to train drivers of large vehicles how to safely operate around people who bike in urban environments
2. Advocate for city governments and the State to adopt strict requirements for side guards and crossover mirrors for all large vehicles
3. Work with private companies and institutions to encourage the use of sideguards and crossover mirrors in their truck fleets and promote truck driver education for operating safely around people who bike and walk
4. Provide safety education and outreach to people who bike on how to stay safe around large vehicles

Executive Director of the Boston Cyclists Union Becca Wolfson told Wicked Local that within hours of the fund being set up Wednesday, it had already raised $3,100, with a goal of about $20,000.

>>>Click here to donate to the Joe Lavins Fund for Bicycle Safety.

Photo courtesy Peter Cheung