300 Riders Demand Stricter Safety Laws at Massachusetts State House
Advocates gathered in Boston on Oct. 25 to push for new cyclist protections following a rise in fatal traffic crashes.
By Andrew Yang ·
About 300 cyclists and walkers converged on the Massachusetts State House on Oct. 25 to pressure state lawmakers for stronger road safety measures. The group arrived after a six-mile ride or a one-mile walk that began and ended at the Boston Common. Their primary goal was to secure state-level protections for those traveling by bicycle and on foot.
The event was organized by Ride for Your Life, a group established in 2022 by Dan Langenkamp. He created the organization after his wife, Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, was killed while cycling. Sarah Debbink Langenkamp was a diplomat. The group’s first rally took place in Washington, D.C., and helped lead to the passage of the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act. That federal law supports additional safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists.
Local statistics underscore the urgency of the rally’s demands. In 2025, emergency medical services in Boston responded to approximately 600 crashes involving pedestrians and 200 crashes involving cyclists. These numbers reflect a persistent pattern of traffic violence in the city. The recent death of Louisa Gag in July 2026 further intensified local advocacy. Gag was a Boston transportation planner who was struck and killed by a truck in the Mission Hill neighborhood.
Alexa Ogno, a bike advocate and rider, spoke to the personal toll of these accidents before the rally began. “I have a friend who lost her brother. He was a pedestrian and he was killed by a car,” Ogno said. Many participants viewed the ride as a way to honor individuals lost to similar incidents. Eric Olson, co-founder of the Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Fund, noted that the charity aims to create safer streets for children in memory of his daughter, who was killed by a truck at a crosswalk. “When we go out there, we’re going to ride, and many of us are going to ride to remember,” Olson said.
Volunteers at the event wore pink shirts bearing the phrase “Our Streets Exist For Everyone.” Norman Daoust, a volunteer and marshal, emphasized the power of collective action over individual complaints. “I could stand out on a street corner and tell people to slow down. That’s not going to do any good. But if I join together with people like Cambridge Bike Safety, then we can get 50 people or 100 people out to do that, and that’s what makes change in this country,” Daoust said. Tables from the Boston Cyclists Union, Trek, and MassBike were set up during registration to advocate for continued street safety efforts.
Galen Mook, executive director of MassBike, stated that the organization seeks to build momentum beyond the single day of the rally. “Our goal is to really activate all the people who are here today to make sure that there’s a follow-up so that we can get something sustained beyond just today,” Mook said. The rally featured speakers including state Sen. Will Brownsberger, Rep. Steven Owen, and Dan Langenkamp. Rep. Owen outlined potential legislative and design solutions to reduce crash severity. “We can do things to lower speeds, whether it’s through street design, whether it’s through law enforcement, … [or] encouraging folks to make different decisions about the kinds of vehicles that they drive on our streets,” Owen said.
The gathering highlighted the view that personal mobility is a fundamental right. Mook described the ability to move on one’s own power as a civil right. “It’s life and death,” Mook said. “We think that being able to move about on your own power is a civil right, and this is something that we are going to like to hold ourselves to, and that you shouldn’t have a society that is okay with traffic violence.” Supporters remained at the State House grounds to listen to speakers and coordinate next steps for their advocacy efforts.
