Since 2009, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has seen upwards of one hundred cyclists killed in collisions with motor vehicles. Through archival research and keen record-keeping, the advocacy non-profit organizations MassBike and the LivableStreets Alliance have placed the number of fatalities at 105. 

We cannot let ourselves become convinced that these incidents are inevitable.

The 105 Report catalogues these preventable incidents and simultaneously presents basic analysis as to the circumstances of the collisions; we intend the report to have dual utility as both an advocacy recommendation and a commemorative memorial. See below for a few example findings from the report.

Introduction

No two crashes are the same. They span the entirety of the commonwealth, covering all 12 counties and 64 municipalities. The victims represent a variety of ages, races, hometowns and professions hailing from all corners of the world; some were temporary residents of the United States, others had never lived outside their hometowns. Each of them have family who were forced into the inescapable process of grief, who wake up and go to sleep each day with a piece of their world distinctly missing. These aren’t just statistics on a page, they are real, whole lives that have been torn from the fabric of families, workplaces and communities. This is a report about people and how data can show us the humanity within each crash.

The main mission of the 105 Report is to be a roadmap for advocacy, specifically within MassBike and local cycling groups. This report should point advocates in MA towards the people and places associated with fatalities which need the most urgent intervention to save lives. This report is not the final product; data collection will continue and these statistics will change.

Read The 105 Report

Noah Rowan

Noah is a current MassBike Intern, a lifelong cyclist, and an undergraduate student at Clark University in Worcester pursuing a B.A in Geography. Hailing from the midwest, he is attempting to explore New England through cycling during his years in school, which has led him to become active in cycling advocacy work. He is an avid transportation advocate and an integral player in the fight for free buses in Worcester. His GIS background is centered around transportation justice, working with data mapping projects from homicide prevention in St. Louis Metro Stations to equitable and reliable bus routes in Central MA.