A man riding a bike died Thursday morning after colliding with a semi-truck at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Indiana Avenue in Riverside, according to police. The crash happened just before 10:30 a.m. when the truck was making a turn from Jefferson onto Indiana and its trailer struck the cyclist. The man died at the scene.
Riverside police officer Steven Espinosa told The Press-Enterprise that investigators had not yet determined which direction the cyclist was traveling before the crash, and that the exact circumstances of the collision remained unclear. The truck driver cooperated with investigators and stayed at the scene, and police found no signs of impairment. The driver was not injured in the crash, according to the same report.
Police also said no helmet was found at the scene and that the bike was not an e-bike, details noted as investigators worked to piece together what happened. Under California law, that absence of a helmet carries no legal weight for an adult rider: California Vehicle Code § 21212 requires helmets only for cyclists under 18, meaning adult riders are free to go without one, according to the City of Costa Mesa.
At the Intersection
The crash occurred at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Indiana Avenue, where the semi-truck was turning.
Right turns can bring trucks and cyclists into conflict. Large trucks also have blind spots.
What California Law Says About Fault
Under California Vehicle Code § 21200, bicyclists on public roads hold the same legal rights and bear the same responsibilities as drivers of motor vehicles, according to Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates. Separately, Vehicle Code sections 22100 and 22107 require drivers turning right to approach as close as practicable to the curb and to complete the turn only when it is safe to do so after signaling, according to Arash Law. Investigators have not said whether the truck driver signaled or whether a bike lane exists on Jefferson or Indiana Avenue at the intersection.
Part of a Wider Pattern in Riverside
The Riverside Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the collision. The unit also investigated a fatal motorcycle crash at West Linden and Cranford Avenue, detailed in Hoodline's earlier report on the motorcyclist killed in Riverside crash, and this week the city sent a proposed e-bike crackdown back to committee following the deaths of two teenagers, according to Hoodline's coverage of the e-bike safety debate.
Victim's Identity Not Released
The victim's identity has not yet been released.
