Cyclists ride in memory of Toronto woman; MP Chow urges wheel guards for trucks

TORONTO – Hundreds of cyclists rode quietly through Toronto streets Monday in memory of a bike rider killed in a collision with a truck.

Jenna Morrison, 38, died last week after falling under a truck while trying to make a right turn.

The lead bike in Monday’s procession carried a white-painted bicycle during a silent ride to the west-end intersection where the pregnant mother died.

A public memorial was scheduled for Monday evening at a downtown church. Those attending were asked to wear white.

Morrison’s death has prompted New Democrat MP Olivia Chow to renew her call for heavy trucks to be equipped with protective wheel guards.

The Toronto MP said she plans to introduce a private member’s bill in the House of Commons to make the guards mandatory on all heavy trucks across Canada.

“Every year Canadian cyclists and pedestrians die needlessly when they are sucked under the back wheels of large trucks,” Chow said during question period in the House on Monday.

“Twenty-five years ago in Europe, truck side guards were made mandatory. As a result, cyclist deaths in Britain were cut by 61 per cent. Having side guards may have saved the life of Jenna Morrison.”

Toronto police have said the driver of the truck involved in the collision will not be charged. An extensive investigation concluded that the 55-year-old driver did nothing illegal, police said.

(The Canadian Press, AM640, 680News, CFRB)