Cyclist Dies in Crash w/ Car in Brighton

Bicyclists are some of the most vulnerable people on the roads, and even the smallest mistake either on their part or on the part of motorists can have devastating effects on their lives. 

A young life was lost in an accident on Monday - a 24-year-old woman, whose identity was not released, died after she was stuck by a car while cycling without a helmet in Brighton.

The crash occurred on Commonwealth Avenue near the intersection with Kelton Street. The woman's a purple bicycle was damaged, news reports noted, but even worse, she suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

She suffered from "serious head trauma," a spokeswoman for the Boston EMS, Jennifer Mehigan, said, which "could have been avoided, had she been wearing a helmet."

The crash between the car and the bicycle was an accident, Boston police spokesman said. The driver will not be charged.

According to witness reports the woman was riding down a steep hill in the service lane of Commonwealth Avenue when she was struck.

She was the second bicyclist fatally stuck this year in a city the mayor wants to make "world class" for cycling, the Boston Globe reported.

This tragic loss of life further emphasizes the importance of wearing helmets.