Deceased cyclist unprepared

Kelowna RCMP say the death of a 62-year-old cyclist, while tragic, should serve as a warning to other cyclists.

Cst. Kris Clark, says the unidentified man was not wearing a helmet when he was hit by a vehicle about 6:30 a.m. last Thursday morning.

He also was attempting to cross Harvey Avenue at Pandosy Street against a red light.

Clark says the man suffered serious head injuries when he was hit by a delivery truck and never recovered.

"This was a tragedy that could have been avoided," says Clark.

"A person operating a cycle on a highway has the same rights and duties as a driver of a vehicle, which means that a cyclist must follow the same rules of the road that any motorist does. A cyclist should always travel with traffic and obey all traffic signals and traffic control devices."

He reminds cyclists that, in BC, you are required by law to wear an approved helmet. Hockey or other types of sports helmets are not legal for cycling.

"To be effective, the bicycle helmet must fit correctly and be worn properly."

Clark says Statistics Canada figures (2009) found 58.8 per cent of BC cyclists wear a helmet all the time.

The national average is 36.5 per cent.