A cyclist was hospitalized Thursday afternoon after a crash with the driver of a vehicle in East Vancouver.
BC Emergency Health Services says paramedics were called to the intersection of Clark Drive and East 1st Avenue around 12:20 p.m.
“Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to one patient who was transported to hospital in critical condition,” said Paramedic Public Information Officer Brian Twaites.
Images from the scene show police were redirecting traffic along Clark Drive. Details are limited, but the Vancouver Police Department has confirmed it is investigating the crash.
Navdeep Chhina, director of campaigns and inclusion at HubCycle, says the group of advocates are saddened for the people involved and calling for change.
He says ICBC statistics show that the section of Clark Drive between East 1st and East 2nd avenues is notoriously dangerous for cyclists.
“We need to make our intersection safer for everyone: for people driving vehicles, for people walking, cycling, using their wheelchairs, our youth — little kids. We need to reevaluate how traffic interacts with each other on these intersections,” Chhina told CityNews.
Cyclists go to Clark Drive, he says, due to a lack of alternatives for active transport nearby.
“We need to make sure that there are connected, safe streets that people can ride on instead,” said Chhina.
“Quite often, for a person walking or cycling to cross the intersection, it’s a big distance, so they’re forced to cross an intersection like this one, which is not safe at all for anyone.”
As the busy back-to-school period adds traffic to Vancouver’s roadways, he’s imploring drivers to follow the rules of the road, slow down, and keep a safe distance from cyclists.
For cyclists’ part, Chhina says, “Again, follow the rules of the roads. Make sure you’re respecting other modes of transportation. That includes people walking, people in wheelchairs and also people driving cars.”
—With files from Joe Sadowski.