The detachment commander of the Shawnigan Lake RCMP is warning drivers to drive responsibly following two motorcycle crashes on Saturday, Aug. 15.
A press release from the Shawnigan Lake RCMP said officers were kept hopping over the weekend with several motor vehicle collisions throughout the area, but the two most worrying involved motorcyclists.
The first took place just before noon near 1204 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd. and the second happened at about 4:30 p.m. on Shawnigan Lake Road at Skylar Circle.
For the detachment commander summer-time and collisions are an unfortunate common occurrence due to the higher amount of traffic on the roads. However, these to crashes highlight how vulnerable motorcyclists can be on the road.
“When a motor vehicle collides with a motorcycle, it’s almost always the motorcycle driver and their passenger who suffer the most,” says Shawnigan Lake RCMP Detachment Commander Tim Desaulniers. “Many motorcycle drivers love driving the roads around Shawnigan Lake due to the windy route and spectacular scenery. Vehicle drivers have to be aware that a motorcycle, or maybe even a group of them could be coming around the next curve. I’m asking all drivers on the roads to drive defensively and responsibly.”
On average, 1,600 motorcyclists are injured in 2,500 crashes every year in B.C. according to ICBC. The most common contributing factors assigned to drivers who hit motorcyclists are distracted or inattentive driving and failing to yield right-of-way.
