A motorcyclist was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries Saturday afternoon after a serious collision with a car near Nanaimo.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, the crash occurred around 4 p.m. near the intersection of Morden and Waring roads in South Wellington.
A 20-year-old driver in a Honda Civic was driving eastbound on Morden Road when he tried to make a U-turn.
A 28-year-old motorcyclist who was travelling west on Morden Road collided with the Civic’s passenger side of the vehicle. The rider was airlifted to Victoria with life-threatening injuries.
Two other motorcyclists with the first rider were also involved in the collision. A 30-year-old was taken to a Nanaimo hospital with serious injuries. The third rider, aged 46, suffered minor injuries and didn’t require hospitalization.
The driver of the car and his 23-year-old passenger were not injured and remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Alcohol and drugs have been ruled out as a factor in the crash and all vehicles involved were seized to undergo mechanical inspections, according to police.
The road was closed for several hours while investigators examined the scene.
Saturday’s crash is the second significant collision this week in the Nanaimo area that resulted in serious injuries to a motorcyclist.
On Monday, 47-year-old Nathaniel Olson was hospitalized with life-threatening when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car making a left-hand turn at the intersection of Hammond Bay Road and Stephenson Point Road.
According to a GoFundMe, the crash resulted in Olson losing his left leg and several other serious but non-life threatening injuries.
“May is motorcycle safety month and this is a tragic reminder that everyone plays a part in keeping our streets and highways safe,” said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Nanaimo RCMP provided the following tips for motorcyclists and motorists alike:
- Check blind spots, using mirrors and turn signals when changing lanes or merging into traffic
- Ride sober
- Maintain an appropriate distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you
- Scan your environment, and be alert to potential dangers and react appropriately
- Ride within the posted speed limit, reduce speed during inclement weather
