Police are warning drivers and cyclists to be aware of each other on the roads, after a Nanaimo cyclist suffered significant injuries when he was struck by a car in a marked bike lane.
The incident took place about 1:30 a.m. March 24 at the intersection of Townsite Road and Bush Street. A 66-year-old man was hit by an older-model Corolla driven by a 19-year-old woman.
The woman remained at the scene and co-operated with police. Traffic was detoured for a short period.
“As the weather gets warmer and more and more cyclists are on the streets of Nanaimo, motorists and cyclists need to pay attention to bicycle lanes and how they intersect with the flow of vehicle traffic,” said Cons. Gary O’Brien. “The injured cyclist in this case was lucky to receive only the injuries he did and that a worse outcome was avoided.”
The driver was ticketed for an unsafe lane change.