15-year-old bicyclist killed near Mankato
A 15-year-old boy was killed over the weekend while riding his bicycle near Mankato, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Daniel L. Peterson, of Rosemount, died after being hit by a 2007 Toyota SUV while traveling west on County Road 27 just north of Eagle Lake in Blue Earth County, officials said.
The accident happened shortly before 1:30 p.m. Saturday. It is still under investigation.
This is at least the second bicycle-related accident in Minnesota in the last two weeks.
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On May 20, a man was killed near downtown Minneapolis after being crushed by a tractor trailer hauling concrete and asphalt, police said.
Officials urge motorists to drive carefully as the weather warms up and more bicyclists return to the roads.
In 2008, 13 bicyclists were killed on Minnesota roads---the most since 14 bicyclists were killed in 2000, and a significant increase over the four killed in 2007.
State transportation officials say the increase in bicycle commuters was a factor in the increase in deaths last year.
Officials advise both motorists and bicyclists to bear responsibility for safety on the roads--bicyclists are responsible for paying attention to traffic control devices like stoplights and stop signs, while motorists must drive attentively and be aware of bicyclists.
Officials say the biggest factor in bicyclist- motorist crashes is failure to yield the right of way.