Community bike ride honors Colorado boy killed by distracted driving, calls for change
Oliver Stratton was 10 years old when he was hit and killed while riding his bike in Timnath. The "ride for change" is a movement that aims to make roads safer for bicyclists and pedestrians and honor the lives lost to distracted driving.
CBS
"I think it's just incredibly joyful to watch a community come together," said Oliver's mother, Clarissa Stratton. "It is now like one of the most dangerous times in Colorado to be a human being existing outside of a vehicle."
The event was organized by Oliver's parents, Clarissa and Rod Stratton. Participants dressed up or decorated their bikes to resemble their favorite Pokémon and took two laps around the lagoon on the CSU campus to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving.
"We have to do better about protecting each other's lives, and that means being better drivers. Putting down the cell phone. It is against the law," said Clarissa Stratton.
CBS Colorado
Oliver was killed while riding his bike when a fifty-year-old woman who was texting and driving hit him in August of 2023. His parents say it radically altered their lives.
"We feel the weight of that every day, and we're out here advocating because we want to make sure that doesn't happen to other families," said Clarissa Stratton.
In addition to the ride, the event had resources for cyclists and a pledge for adults and kids to sign, asking them not to drive distracted and to speak up if they see someone doing it. Clarissa said it's time for Colorado drivers to realize the responsibility that's in their hands every time they get behind the wheel.
CBS
"Please drive like lives are depending on it because they are, and my family knows better than most the cost of distracted driving," she said.
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