Words matter, and the language that we use to talk about collisions that injure or kill people biking or walking can dangerously normalize them as acceptable and inevitable. BikeAthens has produced a Media Guide for local journalists to use as a resource so that they may humanize the people involved in these stories and avoid the normalization of traffic violence. In the guide we cite a body of existing guidance from around the country and use local examples for context. We will continue to update the guide as needed.
This work was sparked by internal discussion after a recent Athens Banner-Herald article covering the death of Willie Sims, who was killed when a motorist struck him while he was walking along Lexington Road.
