Motorcyclist dead after being hit by minivan along Deerfoot Trail near Calgary's south end

CALGARY -

Police are looking at distracted driving as a possible factor in a crash early Friday that left a motorcyclist dead on Deerfoot Trail.

Calgary Police say the man was found dead just after midnight when crews arrived in the northbound lanes of Deerfoot Trail, just north of 212 Ave southeast.

According to Sgt. Colin Foster with the Calgary Police Service traffic unit, a 2012 Victory Jackpot motorcycle was stopped in the gore — a section of the highway painted in a chevron pattern that is not meant for driving. The rider was sitting stationary on the bike.

"It's like most of our crashes. Unfortunately it's usually a sequence of events, where sometimes it's the wrong place at the wrong time. That tends to be the majority of our collisions," he said.

Foster says a northbound Toyota Sienna minivan went through the gore that separates the exit lanes to 212 Avenue S.E., striking the motorcyclist.

The victim was a 50-year-old man.

The driver of the minivan, a 39-year-old man, was sent to hospital with minor injuries.

The passengers, a 39-year-old woman and four children ranging in age from one to 12 years old, were not injured but taken to hospital as a precaution. It's believed the occupants of the minivan are a family.

Northbound Deerfoot Trail was closed between Dunbow Road and 212 Avenue S.E. for several hours but reopened shortly before 6 a.m.

DEADLY SUMMER FOR MOTORCYCLE CRASHES

According to Calgary police, this is the second fatal motorcycle collision in 2021. 

A 36-year-old father of three, Kreshnik Cermjani was killed while riding home from dinner, with his wife as a passenger. Cermanji’s wife remains in hospital and has undergone multiple surgeries. 

The bike and SUV collided in the intersection of 14th Street N.W. and 20th Avenue N.W. just before 11 p.m. on June 29.

Police continue to investigate what led to the crash. 

Emergency crews have responded to a number of other crashes involving motorcycles, but this year is not as deadly as last. 

Police say during the first half of last year there were four deadly motorcycle collisions. A total of five riders lost their lives in 2020.

SHARE THE ROAD

Motorcycle enthusiasts say Friday’s crash is a tragedy and another reminder drivers need to share the road.

“It’s very important to know how to apply properly the rules of the road and how to be conscious of what is happening there because it’s not a game, it’s something that has to be taken seriously,” said Angela Fuentes, an instructor at Road Runner Driving School.

Fuentes says anyone who wants to ride should take the proper training and have the right education about safety.

“So you can avoid any collision and also to learn properly how to control the speed and balance,” said Fuentes. 

She said all drivers, whether on motorcycles or in cars need to pay more attention to what’s happening around them.

“If you see a bike on the road … give them the space.”