A Prince George man is dead after an early morning motorcycle crash north of the city.
The man's name has not yet been released. Police confirmed he was a 50-year-old local resident travelling on Highway 97 about 25 kilometres north of the Bear Lake turnoff.
"Circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are not evident at this juncture in the investigation," said Prince George RCMP spokesman Gary Godwin.
It is the latest incident in an alarming series of serious motorcycle-involved crashes this year in the province. It is at least the fifth fatality in August alone involving a motorcycle rider.
There were nine fatalities each for all of 2009 and 2010. There have been at least nine so far this year in B.C. with several weeks of riding still to go.
"The main contributing factors seem to have been the speed of the motorcycles, and the inability of the drivers to react quickly enough to their surroundings," said superintendent Norm Gaumont, head of Traffic Services for the RCMP in the Lower Mainland where the majority of these deaths have occurred. "You are literally gambling with your life by driving a motorcycle at high speeds through heavy traffic. I know motorcycles can be a lot of fun to drive, but those drivers have to know the risks, and should never assume other motorists see them."
Motorcyclists are urged to slow down, err on the side of cautious driving, and always assume other drivers in your vicinity do not see you.
All other drivers are urged to pay attention and assume at all times that a motorcycle is nearby and keep speeds to the posted limits, use mirrors frequently, and always do full checks (both ways and over the shoulder) to ensure nobody is going to be affected if you turn or change lanes.
