'Walk Bike Glendale' Issues Statement on Death of Glendale Student

Walk Bike Glendale, the regional chapter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition charged with advocating for same places to walk and bike throughout the area, released a statement on the death of Roosevelt Middle School student Jonathan Hernandez:

The Walk Bike Glendale family is deeply saddened by the death of 13-year-old Jonathan Hernandez who was struck by a school bus while riding his bicycle through the intersection of Riverdale and Columbus on Thursday afternoon. Our sincere condolences go out to Jonathan’s family and friends and his teachers and classmates at Roosevelt Middle School.

Preventable deaths like these are especially tragic when they involve a child. Glendale averages approximately 100 pedestrian and 50 bicycle collisions with automobiles each year that result in injuries and fatalities. In recent years, the city of Glendale has made progress on making our streets more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, but deaths like Jonathan’s remind us that more can be done.

Walk Bike Glendale is asking the community to emphasize and promote bicycle safety in the wake of Hernandez's death, saying it is a key strategy in promoting bicycle and pedestrian safety.

The group offers these simple tips:

• Ride on the street and with the flow of traffic.
• Children riding on sidewalks should yield to pedestrians and vehicles.
• Obey all signs, street markings and signals.
• Look both ways and yield to cross traffic before crossing intersections.
• Wear a bicycle helmet, which is mandated by law for children under the age of 18.

Walk Bike Glendale members are available as a resource to the community.

The group has upcoming Bike-To-School Day events to highlight bicycle and pedestrian safety:

• May 8: R.D. White Elementary
• May 15: Thomas Jefferson Elementary
• May 17: Columbus Elementary

Walk Bike Glendale is also hosting these Bicycle Skills Safety Rodeo events:

• May 18: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at R.D. White Elementary School (open to public)
• May 19: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Jewel City Fun & Fitness Ride.