On May 21, Halifax Regional Police reported that a female cyclist was killed in a collision involving a transport truck. The fatal accident took place at the intersection of Albro Lake and Windmill roads in Dartmouth at about 2:56 p.m., police said.
The bicycle and truck were both traveling northbound on Windmill Road prior to the accident, police stated. The truck reportedly hit the woman when it attempted to make a right turn onto Albro Lake Road. According to authorities, the cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.
Reportedly, several entities are contributing to the accident investigation, including forensic identification experts, medical examiners as well as accident reconstruction officials. Authorities did not immediately release the identity of the cyclist. Nor have police indicated whether they will file charges or issue citations in connection with the incident.
While authorities did not immediately make a determination regarding the cause of this accident, evidence may possibly come to light indicating that the collision was the result of driver negligence. If that were to be the case, the negligent driver may be held accountable for the accident by the family of the victim who died as a result of the collision.
Cyclists and pedestrians are extremely vulnerable to the negligent actions of motorists, and they often suffer serious or even fatal injuries when accidents occur. Furthermore, the families of these victims often suffer severe financial hardships in the aftermath of the fatal accidents. For this reason, victims’ families may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault drivers to recover their financial losses directly related to the accident. For example, the claimants might seek financial compensation for funeral expenses and burial costs. Moreover, these claimants may seek restitution for lost earnings if the decedent had dependants or otherwise contributed income to the family household.
Source: CBC News, “Cyclist hit and killed in Dartmouth“, May 21, 2014