A 12-year-old boy was seriously injured after he crashed into a car while riding a longboard Saturday afternoon in east Maple Ridge.
The boy and his friends were boarding in the 247000 block of McClure Drive when he failed to spot a car and collided head-first into the vehicle around 2:15 p.m.
Sgt. Dale Somerville with Ridge Meadows RCMP said the boy was riding the longboard on his stomach.
“The boy was travelling down a steep incline and simply was not able to stop in time,” he added.
The driver of the car remained at the scene following the crash while the boy was rushed to hospital by helicopter.
The boy is the fifth longboarder in as many weeks to be seriously injured in a crash.
Last week, three longboarders were injured in two separate collisions in West Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast.
A week earlier, another longboarder in West Vancouver narrowly missed serious injured after he landed under a SUV.
RCMP are urging longboarders to stay away from dangerously steep hills.
“This is the first serious longboarding incident Ridge Meadows RCMP have had to deal with, but police know this type of activity is going on, and it is not a safe practice,” said Somerville.
“The boarder has a limited ability to stop for anything once the rider builds up speed, so they are not in total control. As well, many of the boarders are lying down on the board, which reduces the chance of… seeing them as they travel along the road.”
Although the boy was wearing a helmet when he crashed, he remains in hospital with serious head injuries. Police said he is scheduled to have surgery later today.
Somerville said a preliminary analysis of the crash scene shows show the long boarder was at fault.
