On Tuesday afternoon, just before 5 p.m., Lethbridge Police responded to a multi-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle and pickup truck at the intersection of Crowsnest Trail and 30 Street North.
Police say a 62-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta., the lone rider on the motorcycle, was seriously injured. The victim was taken to the Chinook Regional Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Officers have not released any information on the condition of the driver or any potential passengers from the pickup truck.
According to the Alberta Motorcycle Safety Society (AMSS), this fatal collision marks the ninth of its kind in the province this year. While this is down by two from this time in 2024, Liane Langlois, president of AMSS, says there is a concerning trend appearing.
“What is a little frightening is about the statistics this year is eight out of nine of those have happened within city limits, whether that is Edmonton with the most, Calgary and, of course, Lethbridge,” said Langlois.
She says it comes down to cities having more potential hazards, but she says safety is everyone’s responsibility.
“For us, we like to make sure that the tips remain mostly consistent between drivers and riders. It doesn’t matter how many wheels you have, it’s being aware of your surroundings and sharing the road.”
While every single loss is a terrible tragedy, Langlois says the AMSS will continue to do their best to create safer roads through education.
“One is too many. Our hearts go out to families who have suffered loss this year and every year before that. All we can do is continue to try and promote proper training, get your proper gear, make sure your motorcycle is sound and ride for yourself.”
Riding for oneself, according to Langlois, means not giving into any potential pressures to ride dangerously or outside of your comfort zone. While she pointed out safety tips for motorcyclists, she also says four or more wheel drivers need to pay attention, watch for other vehicles and motorcycles and simply stay safe as well so everyone can make it home at the end of the day.
Langlois says education is the start of safer trends in driving for everyone and her podcast, Think Bike, aims to prepare people before hitting the road.
As for the collision in Lethbridge, police say the investigation is still ongoing. Investigators are asking anyone with dashcam or video surveillance footage of the scene to contact them.