Cyclist Hit, Killed by 18-Wheeler on A1A on Hutchinson Island, FL
Hutchinson Island, FL — December 30, 2023, a 61-year-old Canadian man on a bicycle died in a collision with a tractor-trailer on Hutchinson Island.
Authorities say the incident happened around 8:30 a.m. on Highway A1A south of Clipper Boulevard. Preliminary investigation suggests only that the victim was riding a bicycle north on the sidewalk near the road when he allegedly tried to cross through it, at which point he was fatally struck by a southbound 18-wheeler.
The crash remains under investigation. No further information is currently available.
The news suggests the victim was crossing the highway when he was hit. That may be enough for people to picture someone failing to yield to cross-traffic, but it's important to realize how little those preliminary reports actually say. There are all kinds of missing variables, from visibility and sightlines to other traffic to weather and road conditions to the truck's speed and what the driver was doing, and every potential factor--whether common or not--should be considered.
It may be tempting sometimes to fill in the blanks one's self rather than wait for the outcome of a full investigation, but the people involved and affected deserve to know no stone was left unturned to find the whole story. It remains to be seen if police efforts alone will deliver that.
