San Francisco Bicycle Coalition holds street vigil for 32-year-old South Korean victim Kim Ye-bin

Kim Ye-bin, 32, was struck and killed by a truck while riding an e-scooter on San Francisco's Market Street on Aug. 7. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Kim Ye-bin, 32, was struck and killed by a truck while riding an e-scooter on San Francisco's Market Street on Aug. 7. (San Francisco Chronicle)

The recent death of South Korean woman Kim Ye-bin has prompted calls for stronger safety measures for cyclists and e-scooter riders in the city, news reports said Tuesday.

At around 8:18 a.m. on Aug. 7 near Powell and Market streets in downtown San Francisco, the 32-year-old resident was struck by a delivery truck while riding a stand-up e-scooter in the same direction, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Witnesses said the scooter’s tire became caught in the streetcar tracks that run along Market Street, causing her to lose control before she was struck by the truck.

Despite wearing a helmet, she suffered a severe head injury and was rushed to a hospital, where she later died.

After graduating from Seoul National University with a degree in education, Kim worked in human resources at Hanwha Solutions before moving to the US about a year and eight months ago to pursue broader opportunities. Most recently, she worked as an HR manager at solar energy company Qcells North America.

Her death came just a month before she was scheduled to return to South Korea for a vacation.

Local cyclists and advocacy groups have since stepped up calls for stronger safety measures along Market Street.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition holds a street vigil on Market Street last week to mourn the death of Kim Ye-bin. (@sfbike, Instagram)
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition holds a street vigil on Market Street last week to mourn the death of Kim Ye-bin. (@sfbike, Instagram)

Parts of Market Street require cyclists and e-scooter riders to share lanes with taxis, commercial vehicles and buses. Plans for protected bike lanes were scaled back in 2020 due to pandemic-related budget constraints, according to news reports.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the city's largest bicycle advocacy group, is calling for safer transit stops, rubber strips along streetcar tracks to prevent wheels from getting caught and a fully car-free Market Street.

Since last week, the group has been holding a vigil to mourn Kim at the intersection where she died.

"No one should lose their life navigating our streets, and corridors like Market continue to be dangerous for our most vulnerable street users. Our hearts go out to Yebin and her loved ones," the group wrote on Instagram.


cjh@heraldcorp.com