Another cyclist has been killed in the city of Saskatoon, as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle, and calls for better cycling infrastructure are mounting.
Darin Kinniewess was struck by a vehicle at Avenue P South and 19th Street on Sept. 6, marking the second cyclist death in four months in Saskatoon. Earlier in the summer, Natasha Fox was struck by a cement truck while cycling.
Those at Saskatoon Cycles say there isn’t enough being done to make the roads safer, and certainly not enough urgency.
“We are vulnerable road users in situations where we are confronted with dangerous intersections and then having to make choices of what to do in a split second to avoid feeling endangered or actually being physically (hurt),” James Arnold with Saskatoon Cycles said.
As Arnold looked at the intersection where the collision took place, he said he had felt scared on that corner before.
“What are we doing, Saskatoon?” he asked. “Saskatoon city council, please, let’s get this together. Let’s avoid more injuries and death.”
The details of the latest cyclist fatal collision have not been released by the Saskatoon police.
According to SGI, between 2017 and 2022 across the province, there were 708 total collisions involving bicycles. Six of them were fatal.
“Cyclists are what we call vulnerable road users,” Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson for SGI, said. “They don’t have that protection that a motor vehicle offers when you’re sitting in a cage that’s designed to protect you with additional safety measures like airbags and seatbelts.”
Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark weighed in on the most recent cyclist death at a press conference last week.
“Obviously we will be looking into it and understanding it and we know with the death of Natasha Fox, this is something that’s on people’s minds — how do we create safer cycling networks?” Clarke said.
For Randol, the time to act is now — not just on one or two intersections but making the entire city safer.
What he fears, however, is what it will take for change to happen.
“Are we going to have to have other serious injuries or fatalities before city council gets it in gear? … Good question.”
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