On Wednesday, Dudzicki was riding to training at the National Squash Academy on Carl Hall Rd in North York. It seems he had the right of way while crossing Sheppard Avenue when he was struck by a BMW. Aleksey Aleksev, 20, who has been charged with dangerous driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death, was granted bail on Thursday morning with conditions, including that he not be in the driver’s seat of any vehicle. Police are asking people who assisted Dudzicki at the scene to them at 416-808-1900, or through Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS.
Pedal expresses its condolences to Dudzicki’s family and friends.
Meanwhile, it seems that the annual number of cycling fatalities fell dramatically in Canada from 1975 to 2005 according to a blog posted by the Vancouver Province daily newspaper, citing Transport Canada documents. In 1975, there were over 1,000 fatalities but this number dropped rapidly and consistently to less than 400 in 2005, despite a simultaneous tremendous increase in the popularity of cycling. These statistics come on the heels of the Quebec Coroner’s office releasing recommendations for major changes to make cycling safer, especially regarding “dooring.” While their recommendations were directed to Montreal and the rest of Quebec, the same recommendations could be applied generally across Canada.
Read The Star article here.
Read the Vancouver Province blog here.
Read the recent Pedal posting on Quebec Coroner’s office bicycling recommendations here.
Read the press release from Squash Canada here.