A man died after he was thrown from his vehicle in a highway crash in Nanoose Bay last week.
The single-vehicle accident happened Friday at 5:05 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the Island Highway about a kilometre north of the Northwest Bay Road intersection, said Sgt. Darrin Ramey of RCMP Central Island Traffic Services.
Police say the Parksville man driving the Suzuki Grand Vitara was not wearing a seatbelt and alcohol is believed to have been a factor.
“The vehicle lost control and went off-road right, rolled several times. The single-occupant driver was ejected and landed on the road,” Ramey said.
Other motorists stopped to assist and a Nanaimo RCMP officer was on scene immediately; they started first aid and CPR. Firefighters and paramedics continued CPR, but the man, in his mid-60s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
B.C. Coroners Service attended and northbound lanes were completely closed for a couple of hours, with traffic detoured along Northwest Bay Road.
“Had he been wearing a seatbelt, his odds of surviving the crash would have greatly increased, but he was shot out of the car and you don’t survive those kinds of things…” Ramey said. “Seatbelts are the law and not only that, they’re a really good idea.”
The man’s next of kin have been notified, but police aren’t releasing a name. RCMP are continuing their investigation.
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