While police investigate a serious collision that left a cyclist in his mid-50s suffering from critical injuries, officers and members of the cycling community are asking both motorists and cyclists to be cautions when sharing the road.

Police they first received reports that a cyclist had been hit by a pickup truck on 107 Avenue at 127 Street at about 7:30 a.m.

EPS Inspector Brian Nowlan said on the scene that the cyclist had been travelling westbound on 107 Avenue and was passing through a green light, when it was struck by an eastbound truck that was turning left onto 127 Street.

Nowlan said the cyclist, who is described as a man in his mid-50s, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries; investigators said the cyclist was not wearing a helmet.

As the weather is getting warmer, and Edmontonians begin gearing up to ride their bicycles over the next few months, members of the city’s bicycle community said it’s time to brush up on safety.

Christopher Chan with Edmonton’s Bicycle Commuters Society said his best suggestion for cyclists is to ride further away from the curb.

“When you’re hugging the curb, if there’s a pothole or something that forces you to swerve, you have nowhere to go but out into traffic,” Chan said.

Kelly Hodgson with United Cycle said helmets are an essential piece for any cyclist.

“You want to protect your head because it is mission control for the rest of your body, so having a helmet that sits properly on your head, meaning no more than a finger, maybe two, above your eyebrow, but something that’s in full contact all around,” Hodgson said.

Edmonton police are simply asking those on bicycles and those driving cars to be cognizant of each other.

“Cyclists and motorcyclists are very hard to detect if you have the centre of your eyes, any little bit of distraction is going to be hard to see,” Insp. Brian Nowlan said.

“We’re urging motorists to please pay attention, people on cycles or motorcycles treat it as a vehicle, as they do not see you especially in intersections and heavy traffic.”

Police shut down most of the road for several hours to carry out their investigation, the road was opened just before 1 p.m.

With files from Jeff Harrington