A 58-year-old motorcyclist has died in a collision in Chemainus after the driver of an SUV allegedly failed to yield while making a left turn, according to RCMP.
On July 12 around 6 p.m., officers were called to the intersection of Chemainus Rd. and Cook St. for a collision between a motorcyclist and SUV.
According to a release, evidence at the scene indicates the motorcyclist was driving northbound on Chemainus Rd. and the SUV driver was travelling southbound.
The driver of the SUV allegedly failed to yield when making a left turn onto Cook St., which led to the fatal collision.
The motorcyclist was transported to the hospital then airlifted to a trauma centre, but unfortunately passed away.
“We can’t urge enough the need for road users to be aware of their surroundings, especially during summer time when there is a high increase of motorcycles on our roads,” said Cpl. Alex Bérubé, spokesperson for the BC RCMP.
The RCMP is urging drivers to help prevent collisions with motorcycles by carefully scanning intersections before making a turn, staying alert and avoiding distractions while driving, allowing at least three to four seconds of following distance behind a motorcycle, and being ready to yield as a motorcycle is often closer than it seems.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-548-5522.
According to ICBC, between 2017 and 2021, an average of seven motorcyclists died in crashes.
READ MORE: Island drivers urged to watch out for motorcycles as crash risk rises this spring
Laura Brougham
