Boulder, CO – The White family has turned their tragedy into a call for action with the launch of The White Line, an organization aimed at improving road safety for cyclists and raising awareness about preventable accidents. This community-driven effort follows the 2023 death of their son, Magnus White, a cyclist who was hit and killed while training along Highway 119 in Boulder.
The White Line Organization’s Mission
After the tragic loss of Magnus White, Jill and Michael White spearheaded a statewide initiative to prevent similar accidents from happening to other cyclists. Through The White Line, they are advocating for better protections for cyclists and improved road conditions. The organization launched a bus tour and Route2Change event, which includes two types of passengers: those who share their stories and those who listen to the experiences of others.
Jill White explained, “We are asking a lot of them, really, to relive, to talk about what happened to them or to a person that they loved.”
Route2Change: Sharing Stories and Creating Change
During the Route2Change tour, speakers such as Anna Needy shared personal stories of their own life-changing accidents, while others like Jacqueline Claudia, executive director of The White Line, spoke for those no longer able to tell their stories themselves. Claudia read from a statement provided by John Wilkinson’s family, whose loved one was killed in a crash:
“The SUV hit him with such tremendous force that the impact shattered the entire windshield. The driver didn’t stop.“
The Call for Better Road Safety
The bus tour has garnered attention from lawmakers, city officials, and concerned citizens, including Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who noted the power of hearing victims’ stories outside the courthouse.
Senator Judy Amabile shared, “It’s actually been really moving.”
As the tour continues, participants discuss poorly designed roads, confusing intersections, and lack of accountability in the justice system, pointing out that many crashes were preventable.
Claudia shared about a crash that changed Myers Graham’s life, noting that the driver had a rap sheet of 13 prior motor vehicle-related cases, including three charges for driving with a suspended license.
The Family’s Hopes for Change
The White family is committed to ensuring that their advocacy work leads to tangible changes. In June, the driver responsible for Magnus White’s death was sentenced to four years in prison. However, the family remains focused on long-term change, hoping that decision-makers will be moved by hearing these stories at the crash sites themselves rather than in a courtroom.
Michael White stated, “It’s everywhere. Every single state has this issue where we’ve normalized our right to drive so much that we’ve forgotten about human lives, and we just have to bring that back into balance.”
What steps do you think need to be taken to make roads safer for cyclists? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
