📰BIDDEFORD | Words and Actions Matter
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
-Attorney Sartoris’ framing of the word “Accidents.” is important. How many times have you heard, “Sorry, it was just an accident.” The connotation of “accident” is that no one is at fault.-
By Patrick Conlon, Founder Bike BS
June 3, 2026, Very recently Maines’ Cumberland County District Attorney Jackie Sartoris vowed to bring criminal and/or civil charges against drivers who cause crashes that injure our most vulnerable road users, pedestrians and bicyclists.
In 2025 Cumberland county, the most populous county in Maine, saw 7 fatal pedestrian crashes and 1 fatal bicycle-related crash.
York County is the 2nd most populous county in the state and it saw at least 3 pedestrian and 1 cyclist fatalities.
“Crashes that kill or seriously injure people on foot or on bikes are not just accidents.“
Sartoris said. "They are violent events with real victims. Police officers are already doing the work of investigating these crashes — now this information will be shared with prosecutors to determine if a charge is appropriate.’’
Attorney Sartoris’ framing of the word “Accidents.” is important. How many times have you heard, “Sorry, it was just an accident.” The connotation of “accident” is that no one is at fault.
There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster—Who Profits and Who Pays the Price, is a book written by Jessie Singer and published in 2022. What do traffic fatalities, opioid overdoses and oil spills have in common? They are all often referred to as “accidents”.
In her book Singer argues that what we have always referred to as accidents are actually the result of systemic failures, often driven by money and power. The term “accident” protects those in power by obscuring unsafe conditions and financial incentives that cause them.
Merriam-Webster defines accident as, “an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance” That definition seems to be assigning some level of blame or responsibility. Someone was “careless” or “ignorant” and that is the crux of what DA Sartoris is bringing forward.
When it comes to traffic fatalities there are numerous possible causes. Distracted or impaired driving, aggressive driving, speeding and more often than you might think… poor road design. Sometimes it’s a combination of these.
When it comes to traffic fatalities involving pedestrians or bicyclists, there is also the possibility that the fault lies with the walker, runner or cyclist, but let us never forget that those with the most power hold the most responsibility - which includes those operating the most powerful vehicles on our roads and streets as well as those who sit in the halls of power.
We applaud DA Sartoris for this commitment to look further and search for justice and we think it’s time for York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery to follow suit.
Patrick Conlon
Founder Bike BS (Biddeford/Saco)
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