Saved by helmet, Madden to speak on bicycle safety
Andrea Stetson
Cristin Madden says a bicycle helmet saved her life. Now the Bonita Springs resident hopes to encourage others to ride safely. She will share her message as the guest speaker at Bonita Springs’ first Bike Safety Day.
Madden and Debra Purcaro were bicycle riding in Alva on March 14 when a hit and run driver killed Purcano and severely injured Madden.
“Helmets save lives,” Madden said. “I am living proof of that. Visibility is very important, making you visible to drivers and making sure they see you.”
Madden’s other message is a lesser known lesson. She said people often think it’s the busy roads that are the most dangerous and the ones where cyclists need to take the most precautions. Madden’s encounter with a hit and run driver illustrates that isn’t true.