A Vancouver cyclist suffered a severe head injury after she crashed into a traffic barrier in North Burnaby early Monday morning.
According to Burnaby RCMP, the 39-year-old was found unconscious lying next to a traffic diversion barrier near Cambridge Street and Esmond Avenue at about 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning.
The cyclist was rushed to Vancouver General Hospital with undetermined head injuries. She is conscious and remains in hospital at this time in serious but stable condition, a press release from the Burnaby RCMP noted.
Investigators are now waiting to speak with the victim to find out why she was riding in the area so early in the morning.
“We’re still waiting to talk to her. There are some obvious questions but we can’t speak to her yet because of the injury,” Burnaby Staff Sgt. Maj. John Buis told the NOW.
Buis said staff at the hospital told police the victim was conscious but she was having trouble speaking.
“We’re very hopeful she’s out of the dangerous time,” Buis added.
Investigators are still determining what happened to cause the cyclist, who was riding southbound on Esmond Avenue, to crash into the barrier. Some neighbours reported hearing a “loud unexplained noise” coming from the scene of the accident around 3:30 a.m., the release added.
“Because this barrier is so low, nobody saw anything, but they do recall hearing a loud noise at 3:30 (a.m.),” Buis said.
The woman was found by a neighbour at about 5:30 a.m. – two hours after other neighbours recalled hearing the crash – who heard groaning coming from the nearby street, he added.
“It’s just an odd situation. It’s 3:30 in the morning, somebody riding (a bike) by all accounts it was probably pretty fast,” Buis said.
Investigators didn’t find a helmet at the scene and Buis believes it’s likely the woman wasn’t wearing one.
Police also believe she rode straight into the traffic barrier.
“We don’t think she had a light and she wouldn’t have seen the reflectors (on the barrier),” Buis said. “They’re not lit.”
The lack of safety precautions taken by the victim is troubling to the Burnaby RCMP. Mounties are encouraging everyone to take care when out riding this summer.
“With summer approaching and the start of better weather, we would like to remind all cyclists of the importance of wearing a helmet with reflective clothing and having proper lights on the bicycle. The lights on your bike are not only so you can be seen by motorist but also for you to see any obstacles in your path,” Buis said, in the release.
Investigators have no idea whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash, Buis added.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact the Burnaby RCMP at 604-294-7922.
